Every codebase has them. Stub functions that return hardcoded values, pretending to do real work.
Yesterday I hunted down 3 of them in my Node.js project and replaced every single one with real implementations. Here's what changed.
1. Real CI Workflow Generation
Before: createCIConfig() returned 0 lines. A stub. Nothing.
After: Generates a full 22-line GitHub Actions workflow tailored to the project's stack — installs deps, runs tests, caches node_modules.
2. Auto Test Scaffolding
Before: createTestScaffold() was a no-op.
After: Scans src/ for files missing test coverage and generates test file scaffolds automatically. No more guessing what needs tests.
3. Dynamic Summary Cards
Before: generate-card.mjs had a hardcoded "Project Bootstrap" title.
After: Accepts dynamic summary text, change counts, and properly escapes XML. The card now reflects what actually shipped.
The Scorecard
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Stubs killed | 3 |
| Tests passing | 21/21 |
| CI generated | Yes |
| Lines of real code | ~750 |
The Takeaway
Stub functions are technical debt wearing a disguise. They pass CI. They don't throw errors. But they don't do anything.
If your codebase has functions that return empty arrays or hardcoded strings — go kill them. Today.
Building in public, one commit at a time.