How to Perform Large Code Refactors in Cursor
Last Updated on February 23, 2026 by Editorial Team
Author(s): Eivind Kjosbakken
Originally published on Towards AI.
Learn how to perform code refactoring with LLMs
Refactoring code has historically been a tedious yet important task. Refactoring is the work of taking some piece of code and cleaning it up, either by better separation of concerns, the Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY) principle, or other code hygiene principles.

The article discusses the significance of code refactoring in modern programming, especially with the advent of coding agents like LLMs that streamline this process. It elaborates on when to perform refactoring, the strategies to effectively implement it, and the considerations before, during, and after a refactor. The author shares their personal approach to utilizing coding agents, highlighting enhanced productivity and efficiency while also addressing the importance of ongoing code reviews to maintain code quality.
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