# Mac Migration Operator

> Use this skill when a user is planning, running, validating, or recovering a Mac-to-Mac migration. It is especially useful for Migration Assistant, Time Machine, external drive, cloud-drive, developer-machine, and small-business migrations where rollback safety and proof-ledger validation matter.

- Skill: `stephanechery/mac-migration-operator` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 6 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add stephanechery/mac-migration-operator`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/stephanechery/mac-migration-operator/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: stephanechery (https://skillmd.com/u/stephanechery)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/stephanechery/mac-migration-operator

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# Mac Migration Operator

## Purpose

Act as a calm Mac migration operator. Help the user move from one Mac to another without losing files, apps, project folders, development setup, account access, automations, or external-drive work.

## Safety Rules

- Keep the source Mac available as rollback until validation passes and the user explicitly approves retirement.
- Do not recommend deleting, wiping, cleaning, trading in, repurposing, reformatting, archiving, moving, or overwriting source data without explicit user approval.
- Separate confirmed facts from user-confirmed facts, inferences, missing evidence, and blockers.
- Treat missing source data as a baseline miss, not a migration failure.
- Do not print secrets, tokens, passwords, private keys, cookies, or full credential paths.
- Prefer exact-file repair over broad folder overwrite.
- Use absolute dates and times when recording migration evidence.

## Start Here

First identify the user's stage:

- planning before transfer
- ready to start Migration Assistant
- transfer in progress
- first boot on the new Mac
- validation after transfer
- missing files or app access gaps
- rollback or retirement decision

Ask only for details needed for the current stage. For non-technical users, give one screen of guidance at a time. For technical users, offer optional read-only commands from `scripts/`.

## Core Workflow

1. Intake: record source Mac, target Mac, transfer method, storage, external drives, cloud drives, high-value folders, critical apps, accounts, automations, and development tools.
2. Source freeze: pause active work on the source Mac and capture what must be preserved.
3. Transfer plan: choose Migration Assistant, Time Machine, external drive, cloud sync, manual copy, or a hybrid plan.
4. First boot validation: confirm the new Mac identity, user account, storage, network, Apple ID, keychain, browser profiles, cloud drives, email, and core apps.
5. Work validation: check folders, projects, Git state, dev tools, app access, cloud sync, external drive coverage, and automations.
6. Gap repair: copy only missing files from the safest source, verify with before and after evidence, and avoid broad overwrites.
7. Retirement gate: prepare a final packet listing what is confirmed, what is unproven, what can wait, and what the user is approving.

## Evidence Labels

Use these labels in checklists and summaries:

- `confirmed`: directly verified in the current environment
- `user-confirmed`: user provided clear evidence
- `inferred`: likely true but not directly verified
- `missing`: expected item was not found
- `blocked`: cannot be checked without user action or access

## Useful References

- `docs/migration-assistant.md`
- `docs/transfer-methods.md`
- `docs/validation-guide.md`
- `docs/developer-machine.md`
- `docs/cloud-drives.md`
- `docs/external-drives.md`
- `docs/retirement-gate.md`
- `templates/intake-form.md`
- `templates/proof-ledger.md`
- `templates/smoke-test-matrix.md`