| name | migrate-static-to-wrapper |
| description | Mechanically replace static dependency call sites with wrapper or built-in abstraction calls across a bounded scope (file, project, or namespace). Performs codemod-style bulk replacement of DateTime.UtcNow to TimeProvider.GetUtcNow(), File.ReadAllText to IFileSystem, and similar transformations. Adds constructor injection parameters and updates DI registration. USE FOR: replace DateTime.Now/UtcNow with TimeProvider, migrate static calls to wrapper, bulk replace File.* with IFileSystem, codemod static to injectable, add constructor injection for a dependency, mechanical or scoped migration of statics, convert static calls to use an abstraction, update call sites. DO NOT USE FOR: detecting statics (use detect-static-dependencies), generating wrappers (use generate-testability-wrappers), migrating between test frameworks.
|
| license | MIT |
Migrate Static to Wrapper
Perform mechanical, codemod-style replacement of static dependency call sites with calls to injected wrapper interfaces or built-in abstractions. Operates on a bounded scope (single file, project, or namespace) so migrations can be done incrementally.
When to Use
- After wrappers have been generated (via
generate-testability-wrappers) or built-in abstractions identified
- Migrating
DateTime.UtcNow → TimeProvider.GetUtcNow() across a project
- Migrating
File.* → IFileSystem.File.* across a namespace
- Adding constructor injection for the new abstraction to affected classes
- Incremental migration: one project or namespace at a time
When Not to Use
- No wrapper or abstraction exists yet (use
generate-testability-wrappers first)
- The user wants to detect statics, not migrate them (use
detect-static-dependencies)
- The code does not use dependency injection and the user hasn't chosen ambient context
- Migrating between test frameworks (use the appropriate migration skill)
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|
| Static pattern | Yes | What to replace (e.g., DateTime.UtcNow, File.ReadAllText) |
| Replacement abstraction | Yes | What to use instead (e.g., TimeProvider, IFileSystem) |
| Scope | Yes | File path, project (.csproj), namespace, or directory to migrate |
| Injection strategy | No | constructor (default), primary-constructor, or ambient |
Workflow
Step 1: Verify prerequisites
Before modifying any code:
-
Confirm the wrapper/abstraction exists: Check that the interface or built-in abstraction is available in the project. For TimeProvider, verify the target framework is .NET 8+ or Microsoft.Bcl.TimeProvider is referenced. For System.IO.Abstractions, verify the NuGet package is referenced.
-
Confirm DI registration exists: Check Program.cs or Startup.cs for the service registration. If missing, add it before proceeding.
-
Identify all files in scope: List the .cs files that will be modified. Exclude test projects, obj/, bin/, and generated code.
Step 2: Plan the migration for each file
For each file containing the static pattern, determine:
- Which class(es) contain the call sites — identify the class declarations
- Whether the class already has the dependency injected — check constructors for existing
TimeProvider, IFileSystem, etc. parameters
- The replacement expression for each call site
Replacement mapping
| Category | Original | DI replacement |
|---|
| Time | DateTime.Now | _timeProvider.GetLocalNow().DateTime |
| Time | DateTime.UtcNow | _timeProvider.GetUtcNow().DateTime |
| Time | DateTime.Today | _timeProvider.GetLocalNow().Date |
| Time | DateTimeOffset.UtcNow | _timeProvider.GetUtcNow() |
| File | File.ReadAllText(path) | _fileSystem.File.ReadAllText(path) |
| File | File.WriteAllText(path, text) | _fileSystem.File.WriteAllText(path, text) |
| File | File.Exists(path) | _fileSystem.File.Exists(path) |
| File | Directory.Exists(path) | _fileSystem.Directory.Exists(path) |
| Env | Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(name) | _env.GetEnvironmentVariable(name) |
| Console | Console.WriteLine(msg) | _console.WriteLine(msg) |
| Process | Process.Start(info) | _processRunner.Start(info) |
Apply the same pattern for other members in each category.
Step 3: Add constructor injection
Add the new dependency following the class's existing pattern:
- Primary constructor (C# 12+): Add parameter to primary constructor:
public class OrderProcessor(ILogger<OrderProcessor> logger, TimeProvider timeProvider)
- Traditional constructor: Add
private readonly field + constructor parameter, matching the existing field naming convention (_camelCase or m_camelCase)
Step 4: Replace call sites
Perform each replacement mechanically. For each call site:
- Replace the static call with the wrapper call
- Preserve the surrounding code structure (whitespace, comments, chaining)
- Add required
using directives if not already present
Adding using directives
| Abstraction | Using directive |
|---|
TimeProvider | None (in System namespace) |
IFileSystem | using System.IO.Abstractions; |
IHttpClientFactory | using System.Net.Http; (usually already present) |
| Custom wrappers | using <wrapper namespace>; |
Step 5: Update affected test files
If test files exist for the migrated classes:
- Update constructor calls — add the new parameter to test class instantiation
- Use test doubles:
TimeProvider → new FakeTimeProvider() from Microsoft.Extensions.TimeProvider.Testing
IFileSystem → new MockFileSystem() from System.IO.Abstractions.TestingHelpers
- Custom wrappers →
new Mock<IWrapperName>() or hand-rolled fake
Step 6: Build verification
After all changes in the current scope:
dotnet build <project.csproj>
If the build fails:
- Missing using: Add the required
using directive
- Missing NuGet package: Run
dotnet add package <name>
- Constructor mismatch in tests: Update test instantiation (Step 5)
- Ambiguous call: Fully qualify the wrapper call
Step 7: Report changes
Summarize what was done:
## Migration Summary
**Pattern**: DateTime.UtcNow → TimeProvider.GetUtcNow()
**Scope**: MyProject/Services/
### Files Modified (production)
| File | Call Sites Replaced | Injection Added |
|------|--------------------:|:----------------|
| OrderProcessor.cs | 3 | Yes (constructor) |
| NotificationService.cs | 1 | Yes (primary ctor) |
### Files Modified (tests)
| File | Change |
|------|--------|
| OrderProcessorTests.cs | Added FakeTimeProvider parameter |
### Remaining (out of scope)
- MyProject/Legacy/ — 8 call sites not migrated (different namespace)
Validation
Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Solution |
|---|
| Replacing statics in test code | Only replace in production code; tests should use fakes/mocks |
| Breaking static classes | Static classes can't have constructors — use ambient context for these |
Missing FakeTimeProvider NuGet | Add Microsoft.Extensions.TimeProvider.Testing to test project |
| Replacing in expression-bodied members without updating return type | DateTime → DateTimeOffset when using TimeProvider.GetUtcNow() — verify type compatibility |
| Migrating too much at once | Stick to the defined scope — one project or namespace per run |
| Forgetting DI registration | Always verify Program.cs/Startup.cs has the registration before replacing call sites |