Replace the current definition of refactor

[javier-godoy]

Replace the current definition of refactor

refactor: A code change that neither fixes a bug, nor adds a feature, nor implement a performance improvement

with:

refactor: Restructuring of existing code without changing its external behavior (correlates with PATCH or MINOR in semantic versioning).

Since the external behavior does not change, a commit of type refactor cannot be a breaking change (see conventional-commits/conventionalcommits.org#229).

Note that the external behavior is changed by bugfixes, performance improvements, as well as by the implementation, deprecation and removal of features; thus changes of these types cannot be included in refactors.

[mlopezFC]

Totally agree with this, the proposed definition has a better scope compared to the current one. And indeed a refactor cannot be a breaking change.

[javier-godoy]

Does the "external behavior" include attributes such as method or package names?

• Yes (then renaming a method is not a refactor).
• No (then renaming a method is a breaking refactor).