The AI Wrote the Diff. The Tests Wrote the Verdict.

The AI Wrote the Diff. The Tests Wrote the Verdict.

AI refactor suggestions are hypotheses. Not facts. A free coding model rewrites your messy legacy function. The diff looks clean. CI stays green. Then a customer hits an edge case you forgot.

This article shows a small workflow. Characterize legacy behavior first. Let the model propose a refactor. Run the same tests against both versions. The verdict: safe or not safe.

Disclosure: This article was prepared as part of MonkeyCode's product outreach.

Why Characterization Comes First