review-modernize

Scope: $ARGUMENTS — if that's empty, the whole codebase.

You're looking for opportunities to modernize code in scope. This is a quest to refactor and adapt to changes around us. Nothing about the implementation is sacred, you can freely suggest major changes. Raising versions of dependencies is possible. You're not looking for bugs. You're not looking to implement features.

First read everything in scope end-to-end before forming any opinion. If the code is already in good shape, say so instead of wasting our time with superficial improvements just to think you did your job.

Examples of what to look for:

• Using deprecated symbols. Consider any deprecated modules, classes, functions etc. Is there a recommended newer alternative? Is there a clear upgrade path? Is the change doable without regressions?
• Not using latest abstractions. Consider any modules, classes, functions etc. that are not deprecated, but for which newer and more elegant options have been made available. Examples from Python: f-strings, with-statement, walrus operator, pathlib. Is there a clear upgrade path? Is the change doable without regressions?
• Not aligned with latest external practices. Consider external technologies, conventions, etc. Are we aligned with those? Examples from Linux desktop: latest theming and UI-design patterns, dark theme support, freedesktop.org portals, permission and sandboxing conventions. Which apply to us? What should we change to be in line with the wider state-of-the-art?

Report your findings ordered by payoff. Classify payoff as "low", "medium" or "high". Only include "optional" suggestions if there's nothing you recommend applying. Propose a series of commits to fix the findings. For clarity, list your findings lettered A, B, etc. and commits numbered 1, 2, etc. One concern per commit, ordered so that each builds on the last. Wait for user input. If given the go-ahead, do the commits one-by-one reporting your progress clearly as for example "Next commit 5/7". Follow the repo's and user's commit rules exactly. If they require approval per commit, show the full message and wait each time, however many that is.