Refactoring

The plugin supports safe rename refactoring that automatically updates all references to a symbol.

Rename Refactoring

Rename any symbol and have all its usages updated automatically:

Action	macOS	Windows/Linux
Rename	Shift+F6	Shift+F6

What Can Be Renamed

• Templates: All component instantiations will be updated
• Functions: All function calls will be updated
• Signals: All references within the template will be updated
• Variables: All uses of the variable will be updated
• Components: All accesses to the component will be updated

Example

Before:

template OriginalName() {
    signal input value;
    signal output doubled;
    doubled <== value * 2;
}

template Consumer() {
    component instance = OriginalName();
    instance.value <== x;
}

After renaming OriginalName to Doubler:

template Doubler() {
    signal input value;
    signal output doubled;
    doubled <== value * 2;
}

template Consumer() {
    component instance = Doubler();
    instance.value <== x;
}

How to Use

1. Position cursor on the symbol you want to rename
2. Press Shift+F6 to start the rename
3. Type the new name - you’ll see a preview of all changes
4. Press Enter to apply, or Escape to cancel

Tip

The rename dialog shows a preview of all files that will be changed. Review this before confirming.

In-Place Rename

For simple renames within a single file, the plugin uses in-place rename:

1. The symbol becomes editable directly in the editor
2. All occurrences are highlighted
3. As you type, all occurrences update in real-time
4. Press Enter to confirm or Escape to cancel

Name Validation

The plugin validates new names to ensure they’re valid Circom identifiers:

Valid Names Must:

• Start with a letter, underscore (_), or dollar sign ($)
• Contain only letters, digits, underscores, or dollar signs

Reserved Words

You cannot rename a symbol to a reserved keyword:

pragma, circom, include, template, function, component, main, public, signal, input, output, var, if, else, for, while, do, log, assert, return, parallel, custom, bus

Caution

If you try to use a reserved word, the rename will show an error and prevent the change.

Best Practices

Rename One Thing at a Time

Make one rename, verify it works, then proceed to the next. This makes it easier to revert if something goes wrong.

Use Descriptive Names

Take the opportunity when renaming to choose clear, descriptive names:

• h → hasher
• tmp → intermediateHash
• x → inputValue

Check the Preview

Always review the preview of changes before confirming, especially for:

• Templates used across multiple files
• Commonly used function names
• Signals with generic names