Community Knip Dead Code Detection Best Practices

Comprehensive guide for detecting and removing dead code in JavaScript and TypeScript projects using Knip. Contains 43 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to guide configuration, CI integration, and cleanup workflows.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Configuring Knip for a new project or monorepo

• Investigating false positives or false negatives

• Setting up CI pipelines to prevent dead code regressions

• Using auto-fix to clean up unused code

• Optimizing Knip performance for large codebases

Rule Categories by Priority

Priority Category Impact Prefix

1 Configuration Foundations CRITICAL config-

2 Entry Point Strategy CRITICAL entry-

3 Workspace & Monorepo HIGH workspace-

4 Dependency Analysis HIGH deps-

5 Export Detection MEDIUM-HIGH exports-

6 CI Integration MEDIUM ci-

7 Auto-Fix Workflow MEDIUM fix-

8 Performance Optimization LOW-MEDIUM perf-

Quick Reference

1. Configuration Foundations (CRITICAL)

• config-avoid-broad-ignore

• Avoid broad ignore patterns

• config-configure-path-aliases

• Configure path aliases in Knip

• config-enable-plugins-explicitly

• Enable framework plugins explicitly

• config-run-without-config

• Run without config first for baseline

• config-separate-entry-project

• Separate entry files from project files

• config-use-json-schema

• Use JSON schema for configuration validation

• config-use-negation-patterns

• Use negation patterns for exclusions

• config-use-production-mode

• Use production mode for shipping code analysis

2. Entry Point Strategy (CRITICAL)

• entry-add-dynamic-imports

• Add dynamic import targets as entry points

• entry-exclude-test-files

• Exclude test files from production entries

• entry-include-all-entry-points

• Include all application entry points

• entry-include-bin-scripts

• Include binary scripts as entry points

• entry-use-compilers

• Use compilers for non-standard file types

• entry-use-plugin-entries

• Use plugin entry points for frameworks

• entry-verify-with-debug

• Verify entry points with debug mode

3. Workspace & Monorepo (HIGH)

• workspace-configure-root-workspace

• Configure root workspace explicitly

• workspace-ignore-specific

• Ignore specific workspaces when needed

• workspace-isolate-for-strict

• Isolate workspaces for strict dependency checking

• workspace-list-cross-deps

• List cross-workspace dependencies explicitly

• workspace-per-workspace-plugins

• Configure plugins per workspace

• workspace-use-workspace-globs

• Use workspace globs for consistent configuration

4. Dependency Analysis (HIGH)

• deps-add-unlisted-deps

• Add unlisted dependencies to package.json

• deps-avoid-transitive-reliance

• Avoid relying on transitive dependencies

• deps-configure-plugin-deps

• Configure plugins for tool-specific dependencies

• deps-fix-files-first

• Fix unused files before dependencies

• deps-ignore-conditional-deps

• Ignore conditionally loaded dependencies

• deps-remove-obsolete-types

• Remove obsolete type definition packages

5. Export Detection (MEDIUM-HIGH)

• exports-check-class-members

• Check class members for unused code

• exports-enable-entry-exports

• Enable entry export checking for private packages

• exports-handle-reexports

• Handle re-exports in barrel files

• exports-ignore-same-file

• Ignore exports used in same file

• exports-tag-public-api

• Tag public API exports with JSDoc

• exports-trace-usage

• Trace export usage before removal

• exports-use-include-libs

• Use include libs for type-based consumption

6. CI Integration (MEDIUM)

• ci-add-to-pipeline

• Add Knip to CI pipeline

• ci-separate-production-check

• Separate production and default mode checks

• ci-use-cache

• Enable cache for faster CI runs

• ci-use-max-issues

• Use max issues for gradual adoption

• ci-use-reporters

• Use appropriate reporters for CI output

• ci-watch-mode-local

• Use watch mode for local development

7. Auto-Fix Workflow (MEDIUM)

• fix-allow-remove-files

• Explicitly allow file removal

• fix-format-after-fix

• Format code after auto-fix

• fix-review-before-commit

• Review auto-fix changes before commit

• fix-update-deps-after

• Update package manager after dependency fix

• fix-use-fix-type

• Use fix type for targeted cleanup

8. Performance Optimization (LOW-MEDIUM)

• perf-filter-issue-types

• Filter issue types for focused analysis

• perf-limit-output

• Limit output for large codebases

• perf-profile-performance

• Profile performance for slow analysis

• perf-use-bun-runtime

• Use Bun runtime for faster analysis

• perf-use-cache-flag

• Enable cache for repeated analysis

• perf-use-workspace-filter

• Filter workspaces for faster monorepo analysis

How to Use

Read individual reference files for detailed explanations and code examples:

• Section definitions - Category structure and impact levels

• Rule template - Template for adding new rules

Reference Files

File Description

references/_sections.md Category definitions and ordering

assets/templates/_template.md Template for new rules

metadata.json Version and reference information