Code Simplification (simplification)

Automatically refines recently modified code for clarity before it ships. Based on Anthropic’s internal code-simplifier pattern, it improves how code reads without ever changing what it does.

Core Principle

Clarity over brevity. Functionality preserved absolutely.

Simplification never changes behavior — only readability. All original features, outputs, and behaviors stay intact. It optimizes for the next person to read the code, not for fewer lines.

Configuration

Add to .agent/.nav-config.json:


{
  "simplification": {
    "enabled": true,
    "trigger": "post-implementation",
    "scope": "modified",
    "model": "opus",
    "skip_patterns": ["*.test.*", "*.spec.*", "*.md"],
    "auto_apply": false
  }
}

Key	Default	Behavior
`enabled`	`true`	Master switch for the simplification pass.
`trigger`	`"post-implementation"`	When it runs: `"manual"`, `"post-implementation"`, or `"pre-commit"`.
`scope`	`"modified"`	Which files to consider: `"modified"`, `"staged"`, or `"all"`. Default keeps churn low by touching only recently changed files.
`model`	`"opus"`	Model used for clarity judgment. Opus recommended.
`skip_patterns`	`[".test.", ".spec.", "*.md"]`	Glob patterns to skip. Test files follow different conventions; docs and config are excluded.
`auto_apply`	`false`	When `false`, changes are shown as a diff for approval. When `true`, edits apply directly. In an autonomous flow with `auto_apply: false`, the pass is skipped rather than pausing for input.

What It Changes

Nested ternaries flattened to if/else or a helper function
Deep nesting (over 3 levels) reduced with early returns or extracted functions
Single-letter or unclear names renamed to descriptive ones
Redundant boolean comparisons removed (=== true becomes a truthy check)
Related logic consolidated, dead code removed

What It Doesn’t Change

API signatures or public exports
Test file structure
Meaningful “why” comments
Architecture or design patterns

When It Runs

Autonomous completion: after verify, before commit (if enabled)
Loop Mode: during the VERIFY phase as a completion indicator
On-demand: “simplify this code”, “review for clarity”

Example


// Before
const status = isLoading ? 'loading' : hasError ? 'error' : 'idle';
 
// After
function getStatus(isLoading: boolean, hasError: boolean): string {
  if (isLoading) return 'loading';
  if (hasError) return 'error';
  return 'idle';
}
 
const status = getStatus(isLoading, hasError);

Every pass is instrumented with OpenTelemetry — run /nav:stats to see simplification activity for your own sessions.