[2511.03153] RefAgent: A Multi-agent LLM-based Framework for Automatic Software Refactoring

Computer Science > Software Engineering arXiv:2511.03153 (cs) [Submitted on 5 Nov 2025 (v1), last revised 4 Mar 2026 (this version, v2)] Title:RefAgent: A Multi-agent LLM-based Framework for Automatic Software Refactoring Authors:Khouloud Oueslati, Maxime Lamothe, Foutse Khomh View a PDF of the paper titled RefAgent: A Multi-agent LLM-based Framework for Automatic Software Refactoring, by Khouloud Oueslati and 2 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Large Language Models (LLMs) have substantially influenced various software engineering tasks. Indeed, in the case of software refactoring, traditional LLMs have shown the ability to reduce development time and enhance code quality. However, these LLMs often rely on static, detailed instructions for specific tasks. In contrast, LLM-based agents can dynamically adapt to evolving contexts and autonomously make decisions by interacting with software tools and executing workflows. In this paper, we explore the potential of LLM-based agents in supporting refactoring activities. Specifically, we introduce RefAgent, a multi-agent LLM-based framework for end-to-end software refactoring. RefAgent consists of specialized agents responsible for planning, executing, testing, and iteratively refining refactorings using self-reflection and tool-calling capabilities. We evaluate RefAgent on eight open-source Java projects, comparing its effectiveness against a single-agent approach, a search-based refactoring tool, and historica...