Large File Refactoring #

CodePanda includes a feature that automatically detects large files in your codebase. CodePanda will suggest breaking them down into smaller files to help make the code more maintainable.

Why Refactor Large Files? #

Working with large files creates several challenges:

1. Higher Error Rate: CodePanda is more likely to make mistakes when generating changes to very large files
2. Slower Response Times: Processing large files takes significantly more time and tokens
3. Higher Token Costs: Large files consume more tokens for context, increasing API costs
4. Reduced Context Window: Large files take up valuable space in CodePanda's limited context window
5. Harder to Understand: CodePanda can better understand and modify smaller, focused files

How CodePanda Helps #

CodePanda automatically:

1. Detects Large Files: Identifies any file with more than 450 lines of code during editing
2. Provides Notifications: Shows an alert indicator in the chat interface
3. Offers Assistance: Upon your request, helps restructure the code into smaller, more focused modules

Using the Large File Refactoring Feature #

When CodePanda detects large files:

1. A yellow alert triangle icon will appear in the bottom left of the chat input area
2. Click the icon to view a dialog showing all detected large files and their line counts
3. You can:
   • Close: Dismiss the dialog without action
   • Clear Alerts: Dismiss the notifications without refactoring
   • Refactor: Ask CodePanda to help restructure the large files

CodePanda will never refactor your code without your explicit request. The refactoring process only begins when you choose the "Refactor" option.