# OBEY Refactoring.Guru

Refactoring is the controlled process of improving code structure without adding new functionality. This rule set is derived from the public Refactoring.Guru refactoring material and is binding engineering policy for AI coding agents: `MUST` is binding, `SHOULD` is a strong default, and `MUST NOT` is forbidden.

The full catalog is split into two parts so each file stays within the reference size cap. The table below routes you to the part that covers the section you need.

## Parts of this reference

| Part | Scope |
|---|---|
| [refactoring-guru.full-smells-and-priorities.md](refactoring-guru.full-smells-and-priorities.md) | Source and scope, purpose, process, when to refactor, technical debt, smell detection, every smell category, technique selection rules, and the smell-to-treatment priority map |
| [refactoring-guru.full-technique-playbook-and-safety.md](refactoring-guru.full-technique-playbook-and-safety.md) | Technique playbook, decision anti-patterns, technique execution safety, safety and tradeoff rules, the agent workflow, and the review checklist |