Repo Modernization

Repo Modernization

Trigger Signals

• the repo is legacy, inconsistent, slow to change, or missing dependable workflows
• dependencies, framework versions, or build tooling are clearly behind the desired support window
• repeated pain shows up in build fragility, onboarding cost, release risk, or architectural drag

Inspect First

• build, test, and release entrypoints
• runtime and framework versions, dependency manifests, and lockfiles
• architecture seams, integration boundaries, and highest-risk hotspots
• observability, CI, documentation, and rollback surfaces that determine whether change is safe

Workflow

1. establish the current operating path and the minimum validation baseline needed to change the repo safely
2. group problems into modernization layers: visibility, build and dependency health, codebase consistency, and architecture
3. separate quick wins from seam-first refactors and from truly strategic platform changes
4. produce a staged roadmap with validation and rollback expectations for each phase
5. prefer incremental replacement and automation over big-bang rewrites unless evidence says otherwise

Output Contract

• current-state summary with the biggest sources of drag or risk
• prioritized modernization themes and why they matter now
• phased roadmap with prerequisites, safety rails, and likely owners
• automation candidates, migration helpers, and explicit non-goals

Failure Modes

• the repo lacks enough validation to support any meaningful modernization safely
• production topology or support commitments are too unclear to judge migration risk
• the proposed plan collapses into a rewrite with no intermediate value or rollback path

Escalation

• escalate when modernization would break support or release commitments without a transition plan
• escalate when the work crosses multiple teams or service boundaries with no owner alignment
• escalate when data migration, security posture, or compliance constraints materially change the plan

References

• skills/repo-modernization/references/modernization-layers.md
• skills/repo-modernization/references/strangler-and-seams.md
• skills/repo-modernization/references/dependency-and-build-modernization.md
• skills/repo-modernization/references/safety-rails.md
• skills/repo-modernization/references/automation-candidates.md
• skills/repo-modernization/references/roadmap-template.md
• skills/repo-modernization/references/examples.md