Next.js Codebase Health & Optimization Report

[Srijan-Baniyal]

Goals

1. Detect unused files & code — identify dead code and remove it to simplify maintenance.
2. Analyze bundle size — find heavy modules and optimize page load times.
3. Clean dependencies — remove unused or duplicate packages from package.json.
4. Highlight code duplication — encourage reusable components and DRY patterns.
5. Automate monitoring — integrate CI checks for bundle size, unused code, and dependency health.

Non-Goals

1. Refactoring business logic — the feature does not aim to change how your app works.
2. UI/UX improvements — layout, styling, or visual changes are out of scope.
3. Runtime performance monitoring — real-time user analytics or Web Vitals tracking are not included.
4. Security audits — this does not cover vulnerability scanning or security fixes.
5. Third-party library upgrades — updating libraries to newer versions is not automatically handled.

Background

Ever worked on a Next.js project that starts small and elegant, but over time… bloats?
• Random unused files sitting in /components or /utils
• Dependencies you don’t even remember why they’re there
• Bundles slowly growing heavier, making your pages load like molasses

We’ve all been there. Manually checking for dead code or analyzing bundle sizes is painful, tedious, and error-prone. Yes, there are tools like depcheck, ts-prune, knip, and @next/bundle-analyzer, but each does its own thing. Piecing together a full picture of your codebase feels like chasing ghosts.

This feature aims to bring it all together: a simple, automated, actionable report that tells you:
• What’s unused and can safely go
• Which dependencies are bloating your app
• Where your bundle is heavy and could be optimized

Imagine having a single, clear snapshot of your project’s health every time you work on it — letting you clean, optimize, and maintain your code without the headache.

In short: this isn’t just a feature; it’s peace of mind for your Next.js project.

Proposal

The Vision:

Next.js projects are amazing — fast, flexible, and modern. But as they grow, they can quietly accumulate dead code, unused dependencies, and heavy bundles, slowing development and frustrating teams. What if there was a way to instantly know the health of your codebase with a single command? That’s exactly what this feature aims to do.

How it Works:

1. Smart Scanning: Automatically analyze your project to find:
   • Unused files and exports
   • Redundant dependencies
   • Heavy modules bloating your bundle

2. Actionable Reports: Generate a clear, visual, easy-to-read report (Markdown or HTML) showing exactly where you can clean up and optimize.

3. CI Integration: Optionally integrate into your CI/CD workflow, so you get notified before issues snowball — for example: fail the build if your bundle exceeds a threshold or unused code exceeds a limit.

4. One Unified Tooling: Combines the power of knip, depcheck, @next/bundle-analyzer, and cloc into one seamless workflow. No more juggling multiple tools.

Why This Matters:
• Save developer time — no more manual hunting for unused code.
• Keep your project lean, fast, and maintainable.
• Reduce risk of bloated bundles slowing down your app.
• Give teams peace of mind knowing the codebase is clean and healthy.

I’m excited to contribute:
• Build the automation scripts to generate the report.
• Ensure CI/CD integration is smooth and actionable.
• Design the report to be developer-friendly, visually clear, and easy to act on.

With this feature, cleaning up, optimizing, and maintaining a Next.js project becomes simple, fast, and even satisfying — no more guesswork, no more wasted time, just a healthy, performant codebase.