Clean up your codebase safely with find_unused_files

Quick Start

Start cleaning up your codebase with these safe, conservative prompts:

Can you find any unused files in my project? C:/my-react-app/src

Use houtini-lm to find unused files safely in C:/project - include commented code analysis

Please identify unused TypeScript files in C:/enterprise-app with comprehensive analysis

What It Does

find_unused_files is your safety-first code cleanup assistant. Unlike aggressive tools that might suggest deleting files your application secretly depends on, this function uses sophisticated dependency analysis to identify only genuinely unused files.

Here's what makes it special:

• Conservative by design - Avoids false positives that could break production
• Smart dependency tracing - Follows imports, requires, and dynamic loading patterns
• Risk categorisation - "Definitely safe" vs "Investigate further"
• Commented code detection - Finds files that might be imported in comments
• Confidence scoring - Every recommendation comes with a confidence level
• Executive summary - Clear overview of cleanup potential and impact

Whether you're preparing for a refactor, cleaning up after feature removals, or just want to understand which files are actually being used, this function provides safe, actionable insights without the risk of breaking your application.

Parameters

Fine-tune your dead code detection to balance thoroughness with safety:

Real-World Examples

Here's how to safely clean up different types of projects:

React Application Cleanup

houtini-lm:find_unused_files with:
- projectPath: "C:/my-react-app/src"
- entryPoints: ["index.tsx", "App.tsx", "serviceWorker.ts"]
- analyzeComments: true

Node.js API Cleanup

houtini-lm:find_unused_files with:
- projectPath: "C:/api-server/src"
- entryPoints: ["server.js", "app.js", "worker.js"]
- includeDevArtifacts: true
- excludePatterns: ["*.test.js", "*.spec.js", "*.mock.js"]

Enterprise Monorepo

houtini-lm:find_unused_files with:
- projectPath: "C:/enterprise-monorepo/packages/core"
- entryPoints: ["index.ts", "main.ts", "public-api.ts"]
- analysisDepth: "comprehensive"
- analyzeComments: true
- includeDevArtifacts: false

Post-Refactor Cleanup

houtini-lm:find_unused_files with:
- projectPath: "C:/app/src"
- entryPoints: ["main.ts", "routes.ts", "index.ts"]
- analyzeComments: true
- includeDevArtifacts: true

Built-in Safety Features

This function is designed to protect your production code from accidental deletion:

🛡️ Conservative Analysis

The analysis errs on the side of caution - it would rather keep a potentially unused file than suggest deleting something that might break your application. This approach means you get safe recommendations without the anxiety of wondering if you're about to break production.

📊 Risk Categorisation

• "Definitely safe to remove" - High confidence, no dependencies found
• "Likely unused" - Medium confidence, minimal risk
• "Investigate further" - Potential usage patterns detected
• "Keep for now" - Complex dependency patterns, too risky to remove

🔍 Sophisticated Detection

• Dynamic imports - Detects runtime loading patterns
• Commented references - Finds files mentioned in comments
• Build-time dependencies - Identifies webpack/build tool usage
• Configuration references - Finds files referenced in config

📈 Confidence Scoring

Every recommendation comes with a confidence score explaining why the file was flagged and how certain the analysis is about its unused status. This helps you make informed decisions about what to delete.

Perfect Use Cases

Here's when this function becomes invaluable:

🧹 Post-Refactor Cleanup

After removing features or refactoring large sections of code, identify the orphaned files that are no longer needed. Perfect for cleaning up after major architectural changes.

📦 Bundle Size Optimisation

Find unused components, utilities, and modules that are bloating your bundle. Every unused file removed makes your application faster and leaner.

🔄 Legacy Code Migration

When modernising older codebases, identify which legacy files can be safely removed without breaking existing functionality.

🏢 Team Handover Preparation

Clean up technical debt before handing a project over to another team. Remove experimental code, unused prototypes, and abandoned features.

📋 Pre-Deployment Audits

Before major releases, ensure you're not shipping unused code that could confuse future maintainers or create security vulnerabilities.

🎯 Technical Debt Reduction

Systematically reduce technical debt by identifying and removing files that no longer serve a purpose in your application.

Best Practices

Get the most value from your cleanup analysis whilst keeping your code safe:

🎯 Start with Clear Entry Points

Always specify your main entry points accurately. Include:

• Main application files (index.js, app.js, main.ts)
• Server entry points (server.js, api.js)
• Worker files (worker.js, background.js)
• Public API exports (public-api.ts, index.ts)

📋 Review Before Deleting

Never delete files without reviewing the recommendations:

1. Start with "Definitely safe to remove" category
2. Check each file manually to understand its purpose
3. Look for any recent commits or changes to the file
4. Consider if the file might be needed for future features
5. Move files to a "unused" folder initially, delete later

🔍 Use Version Control

Always work in a branch when cleaning up unused files:

• Create a dedicated cleanup branch
• Make incremental commits for each file deleted
• Test thoroughly before merging
• Keep the original branch until you're confident

⚡ Phased Approach

For large cleanups, work in phases:

1. Phase 1: Delete obvious unused files (confidence > 90%)
2. Phase 2: Review and remove likely unused files
3. Phase 3: Investigate complex cases manually
4. Phase 4: Archive rather than delete uncertain files

🧪 Test Everything

• Run your full test suite after deletions
• Test in development and staging environments
• Check that builds still work correctly
• Verify that all entry points still function

Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to resolve them: