Configuration Inventory

Configuration & Externalized Settings Inventory

Analyze the project to produce a comprehensive inventory of all configuration sources, build profiles, runtime profiles, externalized properties, secrets workflows, feature flags, startup dependencies, and framework versions. Save to .github/modernize/assessment/engines/facts/configuration-inventory.md.

Note: This skill produces a comprehensive reference document. For structured findings suitable for automated processing, see fact-profile-settings, fact-environment-variables, and fact-xml-configs.

Input Parameters

• workspace-path (optional): Path to the project to analyze (defaults to current directory)

Scope Boundaries — Avoid Redundancy with Other Skills

This skill is part of a set of four complementary assessment skills. To avoid content duplication across their output documents, observe these scope rules:

• Introduction: Write a 1-2 sentence intro focused on the configuration landscape (number of config sources, profiles, secrets approach). Do NOT restate the application's architecture type, business domain, or API surface.
• Database architecture details (entity models, ER diagrams, ORM mappings, caching strategy rationale, repository methods) are owned by the data-architecture skill. In the Properties Inventory, list database-related property keys and values as raw configuration entries, but do NOT explain their behavioral implications (e.g., do not explain what spring.jpa.open-in-view=false means for lazy loading — that belongs in data-architecture.md).
• API endpoints are owned by the api-service-contracts skill. Do NOT list HTTP endpoints, controller routes, or actuator paths.
• Business workflows and validation rules are owned by the business-workflows skill. Do NOT describe business processes or entity validation constraints.
• Entity/domain model listings are owned by data-architecture and business-workflows. Do NOT enumerate entity names, fields, or relationships.

Execution Steps

Step 1: Generate Configuration Sources Section

Identify all configuration files and sources and produce the complete ## Configuration Sources section:

• Java (Spring): application.properties, application.yml, bootstrap.properties, bootstrap.yml — note that bootstrap.* files are distinct from application.* (bootstrap configures the config server connection and runs before application context; application configures the app itself)
• .NET: appsettings.json, appsettings.{Environment}.json, web.config, launchSettings.json
• JavaScript/TypeScript: .env, .env.local, .env.production, config/*.js, config/*.ts
• Shared: docker-compose.yml environment sections, Kubernetes ConfigMaps/Secrets YAML files
• Config server references: Spring Cloud Config (note the external Git repository URI), Azure App Configuration, AWS AppConfig, Consul KV
• Secret stores: HashiCorp Vault, Azure KeyVault, AWS Secrets Manager references
• External configuration repositories: document the URI/path of any external config repos (e.g., spring.cloud.config.server.git.uri)

Step 2: Generate Build Profiles Section

Identify build-time profiles that affect compilation, packaging, and dependency resolution, and produce the complete ## Build Profiles section:

• Java/Maven: profiles in pom.xml (e.g., springboot, buildDocker, dev, cloud) — for each, document activation condition (auto, manual -P, system property -Denv=), purpose, and key dependencies or plugins added
• Java/Gradle: build types and flavors in build.gradle
• .NET: build configurations (Debug, Release), conditional compilation symbols, MSBuild properties
• JavaScript/TypeScript: build scripts in package.json, webpack/vite/esbuild configurations per environment

For each build profile extract:

• Profile name
• Activation condition (automatic, manual flag, system property, environment variable)
• Purpose (what it enables)
• Key dependencies or plugins added/removed

Step 3: Generate Runtime Profiles Section

List all runtime profile-specific or environment-specific configuration and produce the complete ## Runtime Profiles section:

• Java (Spring): Profile-specific files (application-dev.yml, application-prod.yml), @Profile annotations, spring.profiles.active settings, combined profile activation (e.g., mysql,key-vault)
• .NET: Environment-specific files (appsettings.Development.json, appsettings.Production.json), ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT usage
• JavaScript/TypeScript: .env.development, .env.production, NODE_ENV-based branching
• Identify profile activation conditions, defaults, and how profiles compose (multiple active profiles)

Step 4: Generate Properties Inventory Section

For each service/module, catalog all configuration properties and produce the complete ## Properties Inventory section:

• Property keys with their default values
• Which profiles/environments override each property
• Data types and expected value ranges (where inferable)
• Properties sourced from environment variables (${ENV_VAR}, %ENV_VAR%)
• Placeholder references and property resolution chain

Do NOT include JVM startup parameters, -Xms/-Xmx heap settings, -D system properties, container memory/CPU limits, or instance counts here — those belong in the ## Startup Parameters & Resource Requirements section (Step 5).

Step 5: Generate Startup Parameters & Resource Requirements Section

Document JVM startup options, runtime parameters, and per-service resource allocations, and produce the complete ## Startup Parameters & Resource Requirements section:

• JVM heap settings (-Xms, -Xmx) per service
• System properties passed at startup (-Dspring.profiles.active=, -Dazure.keyvault.uri=, etc.)
• Docker/container environment variable overrides (SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE, ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT)
• Memory allocation per service (Docker mem_limit, Kubernetes resources.requests/limits, cloud deployment settings)
• CPU allocation if specified
• Instance count and scaling configuration
• JVM heap settings mapped to service memory allocation (e.g., -Xms2048m -Xmx2048m for 2Gi services)

Step 6: Generate Startup Dependency Chain Section

Map the service startup order and readiness dependencies and produce the complete ## Startup Dependency Chain section:

• Which services must start before others (e.g., config-server → discovery-server → business services → gateway)
• Health-check/wait mechanisms: dockerize wait-for-TCP, Kubernetes readiness probes, Spring Cloud Config retry, Docker Compose depends_on with health checks
• Startup timeout configurations
• Service readiness indicators (actuator health endpoints, custom health checks)

Step 7: Generate Secrets & Sensitive Configuration Section

Flag sensitive configuration entries and document the secrets provisioning workflow, and produce the complete ## Secrets & Sensitive Configuration section (including the ### Secrets Provisioning Workflow subsection):

• Database passwords, API keys, connection strings with credentials
• Secret references: KeyVault URIs, Vault paths, encrypted property values
• Entries marked as sensitive by framework conventions (e.g., spring.datasource.password)
• Do NOT output actual secret values — show the reference path or "[MASKED]" placeholder
• Note encryption methods if present (Jasypt, DPAPI, sealed secrets)

Document how secrets flow through the system (### Secrets Provisioning Workflow):

• Secret source: environment variables, Key Vault, Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, sealed secrets
• Identity/access model: managed identities, service principals, RBAC permissions (e.g., "system-assigned managed identity with get and list permissions on Key Vault")
• Provisioning sequence: how secrets are set up during deployment (e.g., GitHub Actions retrieves service principal credentials → authenticates → creates MySQL secrets → binds to services)
• Which services need which secrets (e.g., data services need MySQL connection strings, all services need config server credentials)

Step 8: Generate Feature Flags Section

Identify feature toggles and conditional configuration and produce the complete ## Feature Flags section:

• Feature flag frameworks: Spring Feature Flags, LaunchDarkly, Unleash, .NET FeatureManagement, custom toggles
• Conditional beans/services (@ConditionalOnProperty, @ConditionalOnExpression)
• A/B testing flags and gradual rollout configurations
• Default values and controlling sources (config file, environment variable, remote service)

Step 9: Generate Framework & Runtime Versions Section

Catalog the technology stack versions that affect configuration and produce the complete ## Framework & Runtime Versions section:

• Core framework versions: Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, ASP.NET Core, Node.js, Express
• Target language/runtime version: Java 8/11/17/21, .NET 6/7/8, Node.js 18/20
• Key library versions: Hibernate, EF Core, Resilience4j, Eureka, etc.
• Docker base images and their versions (e.g., openjdk:11-jre, mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/aspnet:8.0)
• Build tool versions: Maven, Gradle, MSBuild, npm/yarn/pnpm

Step 10: Save Output

Save to .github/modernize/assessment/engines/facts/configuration-inventory.md with this exact structure:

# Configuration & Externalized Settings Inventory

A brief introduction (1-2 sentences) summarizing the configuration landscape.

## Configuration Sources

[Table: Source | Type | Path/Location | Notes]

## Build Profiles

[Table: Profile | Activation | Purpose | Key Dependencies/Plugins]

## Runtime Profiles

[Table: Profile | Activation Method | Config Files | Key Overrides]

## Properties Inventory

[Per-service tables: Property Key | Default | Profiles | Source]

## Startup Parameters & Resource Requirements

[Table: Service | JVM/Runtime Options | Memory | Instance Count]

## Startup Dependency Chain

[Ordered list: Service → waits for → Service, with mechanism (dockerize, health check, etc.)]

## Secrets & Sensitive Configuration

[Table: Secret Reference | Type | Storage (masked)]

### Secrets Provisioning Workflow

[Description of how secrets flow: source → identity/access → binding → services]

## Feature Flags

[Table: Flag Name | Default | Controlled By]

## Framework & Runtime Versions

[Table: Component | Version | Source]

Scaling Rules

• If the project has more than 100 properties, group by category (database, messaging, security, etc.) and show representative examples with counts
• For multi-module projects, organize the properties inventory by module/service
• Collapse repetitive property patterns (e.g., 20 similar cache TTL settings) into a summary row with count

Error Handling

• Unsupported project type: Output a single line: > ERROR: Unsupported project type. This skill supports Java, .NET, JavaScript, and TypeScript projects only.
• No configuration files found: Output: > ERROR: No recognized configuration files found at {workspace-path}. Verify the path is correct.
• Insufficient info: Generate a best-effort inventory from available data. Add a note: > Note: Some configuration sources or properties could not be fully identified.

Success Criteria

• Configuration sources table lists all discovered config files, external config repos, and secret stores
• Build profiles are documented separately from runtime profiles with activation conditions and purposes
• Runtime profiles are documented with config files and key overrides
• Properties inventory covers all discovered properties with defaults and sources
• Startup parameters and resource requirements are documented per service
• Startup dependency chain shows service boot order with wait mechanisms
• Secrets are identified with references (no actual values exposed) and the provisioning workflow is described
• Feature flags are cataloged with defaults and controlling sources
• Framework and runtime versions are documented
• File saved to .github/modernize/assessment/engines/facts/configuration-inventory.md