RefactorEx

RefactorEx is a powerful editor plugin extension that simplifies and accelerates code refactoring for Elixir projects. It introduces intuitive code actions to help you refactor Elixir code efficiently and confidently.

With RefactorEx, you can perform common refactorings like extracting functions, renaming variables, and more — all within a few clicks.

You can check all supported editors in our installation guide.

Available refactorings

Scope	Refactoring	Target	Command
alias	Expand aliases	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
alias	Extract alias	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
alias	Inline alias	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
alias	Merge aliases	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
alias	Sort nested aliases	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
constant	Extract constant	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
constant	Inline constant	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
constant	Rename constant	at symbol	rename (F2)
function	Expand anonymous function	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
function	Extract anonymous function	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
function	Extract function	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
function	Collapse anonymous function	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
function	Inline function	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
function	Rename function	at symbol	rename (F2)
function	Underscore unused args	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
function	Use keyword syntax	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
function	Use regular syntax	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
guard	Extract guard	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
guard	Inline guard	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
guard	Rename guard	at symbol	rename (F2)
if else	Use keyword syntax	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
if else	Use regular syntax	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
pipeline	Introduce IO.inspect	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
pipeline	Introduce pipe	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
pipeline	Remove IO.inspect	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
pipeline	Remove pipe	line	refactor (ctrl+.)
variable	Extract variable	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
variable	Inline variable	selection	refactor (ctrl+.)
variable	Rename variable	at symbol	rename (F2)

How to use each refactoring

Alias: expand aliases

Description	Expand nested aliases to their full names
Target	Selection of nested alias, group of nested aliases or alias with nesting
Inverse of	Merge aliases
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Alias: extract alias

Description	Extract the module full name into an alias and use it
Target	Selection of module full name
Inverse of	Inline alias
Example

▲ top

Alias: inline alias

Description	Replace the alias usage by the module full name
Target	Selection of alias usage
Inverse of	Extract alias
Notes	1. alias must be declared on the same module 2. alias declaration will not be removed
Example

▲ top

Alias: merge aliases

Description	Merge the group of aliases into a nested alias
Target	Selection of two or more mergeable aliases
Inverse of	Expand aliases
Example

▲ top

Alias: sort nested aliases

Description	Sort all nested aliases alphabetically
Target	Line of alias with unsorted nested aliases
Example

▲ top

Constant: extract constant

Description	Extract a piece of code into a constant
Target	Selection of any code without variables
Inverse of	Inline constant
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Constant: inline constant

Description	Replace a constant usage by its value
Target	Selection of constant
Inverse of	Extract constant
Notes	1. constant must be declared on the same module 2. constant declaration will not be removed
Example

▲ top

Constant: rename constant

Description	Replace the name of constant in all its usages
Target	Cursor at constant definition or usage
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Function: collapse anonymous function

Description	Collapse a fn function into a & function
Target	Selection of fn function
Inverse of	Expand anonymous function
Example

▲ top

Function: extract anonymous function

Description	Extract a & or fn function into a function
Target	Selection of & or fn function
Inverse of	Inline function
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Function: expand anonymous function

Description	Expand a & function into a fn function
Target	Selection of & function
Inverse of	Collapse anonymous function
Example

▲ top

Function: extract function

Description	Extract a piece of code into a function
Target	Selection of any code
Inverse of	Inline function
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Function: inline function

Description	Replace a function call by its body
Target	Selection of function call
Inverse of	Extract anonymous function, Extract function
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Notes	1. function must be defined on the same module 2. function definition will not be removed
Example

▲ top

Function: rename function

Description	Replace the name of function in all its calls
Target	Cursor at function definition or usage
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Notes	⚠️ Renaming a public function only affects the current file
Example

▲ top

Function: underscore unused args

Description	Places a _ in front of args not used
Target	Line of function definition with unused args
Example

▲ top

Function: use keyword syntax

Description	Rewrite the function using keyword syntax
Target	Line of function definition using regular syntax
Inverse of	Use regular syntax
Notes	function body must have a single statement
Example

▲ top

Function: use regular syntax

Description	Rewrite the function using regular syntax
Target	Line of function definition using keyword syntax
Inverse of	Use keyword syntax
Example

▲ top

Guard: extract guard

Description	Extract a when statement into a guard
Target	Selection of when statement or part of one
Inverse of	Inline guard
Example

▲ top

Guard: inline guard

Description	Replace a guard call by its when statement
Target	Selection of guard call
Inverse of	Extract guard
Notes	1. guard must be defined on the same module 2. guard definition will not be removed
Example

▲ top

Guard: rename guard

Description	Replace the name of guard in all its calls
Target	Cursor at guard definition or usage
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Notes	⚠️ Renaming a public guard only affects the current file
Example

▲ top

If else: use keyword syntax

Description	Rewrite the if else using keyword syntax
Target	Line of if using regular syntax
Inverse of	Use regular syntax
Notes	Clauses must have a single statement
Example

▲ top

If else: use regular syntax

Description	Rewrite the if else using regular syntax
Target	Line of if using keyword syntax
Inverse of	Use keyword syntax
Example

▲ top

Pipeline: introduce IO.inspect

Description	Pipe a piece of code into an IO.inspect
Target	Selection of any code
Inverse of	Remove IO.inspect
Example

▲ top

Pipeline: introduce pipe

Description	Pipe the first arg into function call or case condition
Target	Line of function call or case condition
Inverse of	Remove pipe
Example

▲ top

Pipeline: remove IO.inspect

Description	Remove IO.inspect call
Target	Line of IO.inspect call
Inverse of	Introduce IO.inspect
Example

▲ top

Pipeline: remove pipe

Description	Remove |> from function call or case condition
Target	Line of pipe (|>)
Inverse of	Introduce pipe
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Variable: extract variable

Description	Extract a piece of code into a variable
Target	Selection of any code
Inverse of	Inline variable
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Variable: inline variable

Description	Replace all usages of variable by its value
Target	Selection of variable assignment
Inverse of	Extract variable
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top

Variable: rename variable

Description	Replace the name of variable in all its usages
Target	Cursor at variable definition
Read more	Catalog of Elixir refactorings
Example

▲ top