Duplicate Code: Repeated package.json JSON parsing blocks in repoPolicyCheck handlers

[github-actions]

Analysis of commit e85150e681f69d58a07dadcfbe5804dccde749c5

Assignee: @copilot

Summary

Multiple repo policy-check handlers repeat the same package.json JSON parsing + try/catch error-return logic. This is duplicated across 3 files and heavily repeated within npmPackages.ts, increasing maintenance cost and making error handling inconsistent over time.

Duplication Details

Pattern: JSON.parse(readFile(...)) with identical catch { return \Error parsing JSON file: ...`; }`

• Severity: Medium

• Occurrences:

  • build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/npmPackages.ts: 22 JSON.parse(readFile( blocks (21 with the exact Error parsing JSON file: message)
  • build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/fluidBuildTasks.ts: 2
  • build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/pnpm.ts: 1
  • Total: 25 parse blocks across these policy-check modules

• Locations (examples):

  • build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/npmPackages.ts (lines 776–781)
  • build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/npmPackages.ts (lines 1857–1862)
  • build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/fluidBuildTasks.ts (lines 770–775)
  • build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/pnpm.ts (lines 23–28)

• Code Sample (representative):

  let json: PackageJson;
  try {
      json = JSON.parse(readFile(file)) as PackageJson;
  } catch {
      return `Error parsing JSON file: \$\{file}`;
  }

Impact Analysis

• Maintainability: When package.json parsing requirements change (e.g., improved diagnostics, schema validation, stricter typing), the change must be repeated in many places.
• Bug Risk: Future edits can easily introduce subtle divergence (different error messages/return types, partial handling, inconsistent logging).
• Code Bloat: The same 6–8 line block appears ~25 times in this area alone.

Refactoring Recommendations

1. Extract a shared helper into build-tools/packages/build-cli/src/library/repoPolicyCheck/common.ts

   • Example: tryReadJsonFile(T)(path: string): { ok: true; value: T } | { ok: false; message: string }
   • Update handlers to use the helper and return the helper’s message on failure.
   • Benefits: Single point of change, consistent error reporting.

2. Add a package.json-focused wrapper

   • Example: tryReadPackageJson(path: string) built on the generic helper.
   • Benefits: Keeps handler bodies small and uniform, reduces repeated as PackageJson casts.

Implementation Checklist

• Add helper(s) in repoPolicyCheck/common.ts
• Refactor npmPackages.ts to use helper in each handler/resolver
• Refactor fluidBuildTasks.ts and pnpm.ts to use helper
• Ensure return types remain unchanged (string | undefined vs resolver objects)
• Run existing policy-check tooling to confirm behavior unchanged

Analysis Metadata

• Detection Method: Serena semantic + targeted pattern search
• Commit: e85150e681f69d58a07dadcfbe5804dccde749c5
• Analysis Date: 2026-03-30T21:50:25.550Z

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