Nikhil Dupally refactored dependency management for the SJSU-CS-systems-group/DDD repository by removing SessionCipher.java and introducing a local Maven artifact, lib-signal-protocol, to streamline builds and improve modularization. Using Java, XML, and Maven, Nikhil’s approach reduced coupling between the DDD codebase and the signal protocol implementation, laying the groundwork for independent artifact versioning and enabling offline builds. This update simplified the build process, accelerated continuous integration, and enhanced maintainability. Although the work focused on a single feature over one month, it demonstrated depth in dependency management and refactoring, providing a foundation for more flexible and efficient future development.