code-simplifier-tldr

code-simplifier-tldr

Claude Code plugin that simplifies code using TLDR-aware AST summaries. Reads structure first via lightweight summaries, then targets only the files that need changes. Saves 80%+ tokens compared to reading every file fully.

When paired with mercator-ai, it uses the merkle manifest for O(1) change detection — only looking at files that actually changed.

Install

# From the shihwesley-plugins marketplace
/plugin marketplace add shihwesley/shihwesley-plugins
/plugin install code-simplifier-tldr@shihwesley-plugins

# Or install directly from GitHub
/plugin install --source github shihwesley/code-simplifier-tldr

Usage

# Simplify recently modified files
/simplify-tldr

# Simplify a specific file
/simplify-tldr src/api/auth.ts

# Simplify files matching a pattern
/simplify-tldr src/components/*.tsx

The agent can also be triggered automatically by Claude Code when code simplification tasks are detected.

How it works

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  1. Merkle check (if mercator-ai installed) │
│     docs/.mercator.json → what changed?     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  2. TLDR summaries for changed files        │
│     AST structure, ~200 tokens per file     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  3. Line-range reads for target sections    │
│     Only the functions you'll modify        │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  4. Edit → Verify → Log                    │
│     Changes recorded in SIMPLIFICATION_LOG  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Token cost comparison (100-file codebase, 3 files changed):

Approach	Tokens
Read all files fully	~250,000
TLDR all files	~20,000
Merkle diff + TLDR changed	~650

What it does

• Reduces unnecessary complexity and nesting
• Eliminates redundant code and abstractions
• Improves naming and readability
• Follows project standards from CLAUDE.md
• Avoids nested ternaries — prefers explicit control flow
• Never changes behavior, only structure
• Logs every change to SIMPLIFICATION_LOG.md

Components

Type	File	Purpose
Agent	agents/code-simplifier.md	Core simplifier with TLDR + merkle protocol
Command	commands/simplify.md	/simplify slash command entry point

Works with

• mercator-ai — Provides docs/.mercator.json merkle manifest for O(1) change detection. Optional but recommended.
• TLDR read hook — Intercepts file reads and returns AST summaries. The agent is built to consume these summaries natively.

License

MIT