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name: hunt-optimization description: Systematic optimization hunter. Finds memory optimizations AND bugs - both are valuable. Run /validate-correctness when bugs are discovered.

Optimization Hunt

Systematically explores the codebase, implements optimizations, validates with benchmarks. Finding bugs is equally valuable as finding optimizations.

Valuable Outcomes

All three outcomes build institutional knowledge.

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Phase 0: Pre-flight

Run /preflight first. Then check what's already been done:

Copycat ~/.claude/skills/hunt-optimization/hunts.yaml
cat ~/.claude/skills/review-optimization/reviews.yaml

If a target/technique combination exists in either database → SKIP IT.

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Phase 1: Select Target

Target Sources

Use profiling data when available:

Copygo tool pprof -top -alloc_objects mem.pprof | head -20

Otherwise, check the queue in hunts.yaml or pick from hot subsystems:

• pkg/metrics - per-metric-sample path
• pkg/aggregator - aggregation hot loop
• comp/dogstatsd - ingestion path
• comp/core/tagger - tag resolution

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Phase 2: Analyze Target

Identify Opportunity Type

Watch for bugs while analyzing - they're valuable findings.

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Phase 3: Implement

Copygit checkout main && git pull
git checkout -b mem-opt/<package>-<technique>

Make ONE change. Commit:

Copygit commit -m "mem-opt: <description>

Hypothesis: <expected improvement>
Technique: <prealloc|pool|builder|etc>
"

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Phase 4: Benchmark

Copy# Baseline first, then optimized
git stash
git checkout main
go test -bench=<Name> -benchmem -count=10 ./pkg/... > /tmp/baseline.txt
git checkout -
git stash pop
go test -bench=<Name> -benchmem -count=10 ./pkg/... > /tmp/optimized.txt
benchstat /tmp/baseline.txt /tmp/optimized.txt

Decision Point

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Phase 5: Handle Bug Discovery

If during hunting you discover a bug (not an optimization):

Invoke Correctness Validation

Copy/validate-correctness

This skill will:

1. Create reproducing test
2. Verify fix works
3. Add fuzz test if appropriate
4. Record in validations.yaml

After Validation

Return here and record as BUG_FOUND (a success!):

Copy  - target: pkg/foo/bar.go:Function
    date: 2026-01-06
    result: BUG_FOUND
    bug_id: <from validations.yaml>
    lesson: "Found make([]T, n) + append bug"

Then continue hunting - don't stop.

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Phase 6: Record & Continue

MANDATORY: Update hunts.yaml

Copy  - target: pkg/path/file.go:Function
    date: 2026-01-06
    branch: mem-opt/name
    technique: preallocation
    result: SUCCESS|FAILURE|BUG_FOUND
    delta_bop: "-18%" | "~" | "N/A"
    lesson: "<pattern>"

Immediately Continue

CopyTarget completed → Back to Phase 1 → Pick new target → Never stop

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Usage

Copy/hunt-optimization

A 10% combined success rate (optimizations + bugs) is excellent. Most targets are cold paths - that's expected.