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topdown-file-ordering

Development
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Use when block order in a single file obscures the public surface or disrupts top-down comprehension. Goal: file structure exposes the public surface first and supporting details in a clear top-down flow without behavior change.

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Single-File Top-Down Ordering

Reorder blocks inside one file to make the public surface readable first, then unfold supporting details.

Response Contract

  • Deliverable: apply the requested changes to the target artifact.
  • Chat output: no additional output beyond the deliverable.

Ordering Model

Block Scope

A block is a structural declaration unit, such as a public or exported declaration, class, function or method, and relevant type declarations.

Dependency-After

Dependency-after is a readability ordering: when one block depends on another block in the same file, place the depended-on block later so supporting definitions appear after the behavior that uses them.

Standards

Apply these standards throughout the edit. Each standard is single-sourced here and referenced elsewhere by its ID.

  • safety.semantics_preserve — Preserve semantics Reorder only when language semantics remain correct.

  • ordering.public_first — Public surface first Place public-facing blocks earlier in the file.

  • ordering.dependency_after — Dependency-after For same-file blocks: if A depends on B, place A before B when a valid order exists.

  • cycles.group — Cycles as a group If blocks form a dependency cycle, treat the cycle as a single group for placement.

Workflow

  1. Move public-facing blocks earlier. Apply ordering.public_first.

  2. Order public-facing blocks:

    • If one depends on another, place the dependent earlier. Apply ordering.dependency_after.
    • Otherwise keep original relative order.

  3. Layer supporting blocks until no new blocks are found:

    • Scan the current layer in order and collect same-file block dependencies in this order:

      1. signature and type-position references
      2. implementation and body references

    • Exclude blocks already placed and anything out of scope.

    • The newly discovered blocks form the next layer in first-encounter order across the scan.

    • If the next layer contains cycles, treat each cycle as a group and keep original relative order within the group. Apply cycles.group.

    • Append the next layer after the current layer and repeat.

  4. Validate safety and revert any move that would violate semantics. Apply safety.semantics_preserve.

Acceptance Criteria

A revision is complete only if all checks pass.

  • Response: Output satisfies the Response Contract.
  • Standards satisfied: safety.semantics_preserve, ordering.public_first, ordering.dependency_after, cycles.group.