Understanding Legacy Code: Explain Complex Functions Instantly

Every developer's nightmare: You join a new project, and you have to touch "The Core." A 5,000-line file written by a developer who left 3 years ago. No comments. Variable names like x, temp, and data.

function c(d) {
  let t = 0;
  for(let i=0; i<d.length; i++) {
    if(d[i].loc === 'NY') t += d[i].p * 1.08;
    else t += d[i].p;
  }
  return t;
}

The "Explain Like I'm 5" Button

Rephrase can help you decipher the madness.

Select a confusing function.
Prompt: "Explain what this code does in plain English. What are the inputs and outputs?"

Result: "This function calculates the total tax for an order. It iterates through the items, checks the user's location, applies a state-specific multiplier, and returns the final float value."

Auto-Documentation

Once you understand it, document it so the next person doesn't suffer.

Prompt: "Generate JSDoc/Docstring comments for this function."

Result:

/**
 * Calculates total tax based on user location.
 * @param {Array} items - List of cart items
 * @param {Object} user - User object containing address
 * @returns {number} Total tax amount
 */

Safe Refactoring

Ready to clean it up?

Prompt: "Refactor this code to be more readable. Rename variables to be descriptive."

Legacy code doesn't have to be scary. With an AI assistant, you have a pair programmer who has read the entire internet's worth of documentation.