By name: pre-modification-check description: > Use before modifying, refactoring, or deleting files in a codebase that has Repowise indexed (indicated by a .repowise/ directory). Activates when Claude is about to edit code, especially shared utilities, core modules, or files the user didn't explicitly mention. Helps assess impact and avoid breaking things. user-invocable: false
Pre-Modification Check with Repowise
Before modifying files in a Repowise-indexed codebase, assess the impact.
Before editing a file
Call get_risk(targets=["path/to/file.py"]). Per file it returns
hotspot_score, trend, risk_type, impact_surface (top 3),
dependents_count, co_change_partners, primary_owner, bus_factor,
test_gap, and security_signals. Read it for:
- Hotspot status (
hotspot_score,trend) — high-churn × complex? Extra care needed. - Dependents (
dependents_count,impact_surface) — how wide is the blast radius? - Co-change partners — files that change together with this one (often without an import link); you may need to update them too.
- Ownership / bus factor — who owns it, and whether a single author maintains it.
- Test gap & security signals — flag untested or security-sensitive files before touching them.
When modifying multiple files
Batch all targets into one call: get_risk(targets=["file1.py", "file2.py", "module/"]).
When to warn the user
If get_risk shows:
- Hotspot score above 90th percentile — mention this is a frequently-changed, high-risk file
- More than 10 dependents — list the top dependents; API changes here will break consumers
- Bus factor of 1 — note that a single person maintains this code
- Risk type is "bug-prone" or "high-coupling" — flag explicitly before making changes
Before refactoring or moving code
Call get_context(targets=["file.py"]) first to understand the full context: what uses this file, what decisions govern it, and why it's structured this way. This prevents accidentally violating architectural decisions.
For a heavy refactor, also call get_health(targets=["file.py"]) — the
biomarker findings (complexity, deep nesting, low cohesion, duplication) tell
you what to improve while you're in there, and give you a before/after score.
Error handling
If get_risk returns a tool error, the MCP server may not be running. Proceed with the modification but note that risk assessment was unavailable.