WebStorm 2021.1 Help

Code refactoring

Refactoring means updating the source code without changing the behaviour of the application. Refactoring helps you keep your code solid, dry, and easy to maintain. WebStorm offers a wide variety of code refactorings, which track down and correct the affected code references automatically.

Refactoring source code: main steps

Despite the differences in the goals and the workflow, all the WebStorm refactorings require some mandatory steps. Below is an overview of these main steps you will perform when refactoring your code.

Selecting the item to refactor

  • In the Project tool window, select the file or folder to move, copy, or rename.

  • In the editor, select the expression or symbol to refactor.

    ws_refactoring_general_select_expression.png

Invoking a refactoring

  • From the main menu or from the context menu of the selection, choose Refactor | <required refactoring>.

  • Press the dedicated shortcut (see the table of available refactorings below).

  • Open the Refactor This list (choose Refactor | Refactor This or press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T), and then choose the required refactoring.

    ws_invoke_refactoring.png

Previewing, adjusting, and applying the suggested changes

For some refactorings WebStorm provides an option to preview the changes before applying them. To preview the potential changes and make the necessary adjustments, click Preview in the refactoring-specific dialog. WebStorm opens a dedicated tab in the Find tool window and shows the changes that are going to be made.

ws_ts_change_signature_preview

If necessary, some changes can be excluded during refactoring. If any conflicts are expected after the refactoring, WebStorm displays a dialog with a brief description of the encountered problems.

To exclude an entry from refactoring

  • Select it in the list and press Delete.

To avoid potential conflicts

  • Ignore the conflicts by clicking the Continue button. As a result, the refactoring will be performed, however, this may lead to erroneous results.

  • Preview the conflicts by clicking the Show in View button. WebStorm shows all conflicting entries on the Conflicts tab in the Find tool window, enabling you to navigate to the problematic lines of code and to make the necessary fixes.

  • Cancel the refactoring and return to the editor.

To apply the changes

  • When you are happy with the proposed results, click Do Refactor.

Copying, renaming, and moving files and folders

With these refactorings you can make copies of files and folders with the same names or with new ones, store them in the same parent folders or in new ones, as well as move files and folders to other locations.

Refactorings for files and folders are available in all types of applications.

To copy a file or a folder

  1. Select the file or folder to copy in the Project tool window and press F5 or select Refactor | Copy from the context menu or from the main menu.

    Alternatively, select the file or the folder to copy in the Project tool window and drag it to the new folder with the Ctrl key pressed.

  2. In the dialog that opens, specify the new name of the file or the folder and the new parent folder, if applicable.

    To open a file, directory or package automatically after it is copied, select the Open copy in editor checkbox.

To rename a file or a folder

  1. In the Project tool window, select the file or folder to rename and choose Refactor | Rename from the context menu or press Shift+F6.

    ws_rename_file.png
  2. In the dialog that opens, type the new name of the file or folder.

  3. To update the references to the file or folder in comments, strings, and text (for files), select the corresponding checkboxes.

    In addition to renaming the file itself, WebStorm can also look for the usages of the file name. If found, the changes you are making to the file name can also be applied to these usages.

    The usages are assigned to different categories which correspond to the options which you can turn on and off.

    Note that regardless of the options selected, the search scope (places where you search for the name occurrences) is always limited to the current entity (for example, a file, or a class) and the entities that the current one depends on.

  4. Click Refactor and examine the suggested changes in the dedicated tab of the Find tool window, as described in Previewing, adjusting, and applying the suggested changes above. Click Do Refactor when you are happy with the expected results.

To move a file or a folder

  1. In the Project tool window, select the file or folder to move and choose Refactor | Move from the context menu or press F6.

  2. In the dialog that opens, specify the new parent folder. Choose an existing folder or type the name of a new one to be created.

  3. Select the Search for references checkbox to update the references to the moved file or folder.

Deleting a file safely (Safe Delete)

Unlike simple deletion of a file (Delete or Delete from the context menu), this refactoring makes sure that you do not delete files that are referenced in your source code. WebStorm looks for the usages of the file to be deleted and shows them in the Usages Detected dialog.

To apply Safe Delete to a file

  1. In the Project tool window, select the file to remove and choose Refactor | Safe Delete from the context menu or press Alt+Delete.

  2. In the Safe Delete dialog that opens, select the corresponding checkboxes to look for usages of the file in comments and strings and for occurrences of the file in text.

  3. If any usages are detected, WebStorm lists them in the Usages Detected dialog.

    • To delete the file without viewing the found usages, click Delete Anyway.

    • To stop the refactoring, click Cancel.

    • To examine the potential conflicts, click View Usages. WebStorm opens a dedicated tab of the Find tool window where the usages are listed. Explore them, analyze the potential conflicts, and update your code as described in Previewing, adjusting, and applying the suggested changes above.

Refactorings supported in WebStorm

CopyFrom the Project tool window:
Refactor | Copy
F5
Any contextCopy a file or a folder
Move file
Move folder
From the Project tool window:
Refactor | Move
F6
Any contextMoving a file or a folder
Move SymbolFrom the editor:
Refactor | Move
F6
JavaScript
TypeScript
Moving a class, a function, or a variable in JavaScript
Moving a class, a function, or a variable in TypeScript
Pull Class Members UpFrom the editor:
Refactor | Pull Members Up
JavaScript
TypeScript
Moving class members to a superclass in JavaScript
Moving class members to a superclass in TypeScript
Rename file
Rename folder
From the Project tool window:
Refactor | Rename
Shift+F6
JavaScript
TypeScript
Renaming a file or folder
Rename symbolFrom the editor:
Refactor | Rename
Shift+F6
JavaScript
TypeScript
Rename refactorings in JavaScript
Rename refactorings in TypeScript
Safe DeleteFrom the Project tool window:
Refactor | Safe Delete
Alt+Delete
JavaScript
TypeScript
Deleting a file safely
Introduce ParameterFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Parameter
Ctrl+Alt+P
JavaScript
TypeScript
Extracting a parameter in JavaScript
Extracting a parameter in TypeScript
Introduce FieldFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Field
Ctrl+Alt+F
JavaScript
TypeScript
Introduce Field in JavaScript
Extract MethodFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Method
Ctrl+Alt+M
JavaScript
TypeScript
Extract Method in JavaScript
Introduce VariableFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Variable
Ctrl+Alt+V
JavaScript
TypeScript
Style Sheets
Introduce Variable in JavaScript
Introduce Variable in TypeScript
Introducing variables in Style Sheets
Introduce ConstantFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Constant
Ctrl+Alt+C
JavaScript
TypeScript
Introduce Constant in JavaScript
Introduce Constant in TypeScript
Extract SuperclassFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Superclass
JavaScript
TypeScript
Extracting a superclass in JavaScript
Extracting a superclass in TypeScript
Extract React ComponentFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Extract Component
ReactExtracting a React component
Convert to Class ComponentFrom the editor:
Refactor | Convert to Class Component
ReactConverting a function to a class component
Convert to Functional ComponentFrom the editor:
Refactor | Convert to Functional Component
ReactConverting a class to a functional component
Extract Vue ComponentFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract/Introduce | Extract Vue Component
JavaScriptExtracting a Vue.js component
Extract Type AliasFrom the editor:
Refactor | Extract | Type Alias
TypeScriptExtracting a type alias in TypeScript
Extract Include FileFrom the selected block of code in the editor:
Refactor | Extract Include File
HTML, CSSExtracting include Files
Extract RulesetFrom the editor:
press Alt+Enter and select Extract ruleset from the list.
Style SheetsExtracting a ruleset
InlineRefactor | Inline
Ctrl+Alt+N
JavaScript
TypeScript
Inline refactorings in JavaScript
Inline refactorings in TypeScript
Change SignatureRefactor | Change Signature
Ctrl+F6
JavaScript
TypeScript
Change Signature in JavaScript
Change Signature in TypeScript
Last modified: 27 May 2021