source-layout-validation-sweep

name	source-layout-validation-sweep
description	Update CI validation and smoke-test surfaces when source trees move but root entrypoints must keep working
domain	testing
confidence	high
source	observed

Context

Use this when a repository reorganizes source folders (for example into src\...) without changing the public root-invoked build/test commands. The risky part is usually not the business logic; it is the workflow triggers, solution paths, packaging copies, and smoke-test assumptions that still point at the old folders.

Patterns

Separate trigger rewrites from command rewrites

• Update workflow paths: filters first so CI still runs when moved source changes.
• Then update explicit solution/project/manifest copy paths inside validation workflows.
• Leave root entrypoint commands alone when the migration explicitly promises compatibility from the repo root.

Preserve validation breadth

• A pure layout move should not automatically expand the regression matrix.
• Prefer keeping the same smoke scenarios and test permutations unless the move changes runtime packaging behavior.

Treat packaging hosts as validation surfaces

• VS Code and VSIX workflows often bundle built CLI artifacts from target\release.
• If root cargo entrypoints are preserved, those bundle paths may remain valid even after the Rust sources move.
• Only rewrite the host-specific source tree paths (for example moved .sln files or manifest locations).
• Audit release and coverage workflows too, not just build/test workflows; they often hide stale source-root paths.

Check relative-file semantics after the move

• Files that move under src\dotnet can keep or break relative paths depending on how many levels they previously climbed.
• Example split:
  • Shared props/import files such as Directory.Build.props need extra scrutiny because relative Include= paths may be evaluated from consuming project directories, not just from the props file location.
  • publish-manifest.json using ../docs/Marketplace.md does not survive a move from legacy\ to src\dotnet\; it must become ../../docs/Marketplace.md.

Flag runtime repo-root discovery separately

• A workflow can still build correctly while runtime lookup logic silently breaks after a folder move.
• If host code probes repo-root target\... via parent-directory climbing, verify the climb depth still reaches the real repo root from the new location and hand off any fix to implementation owners when production-code edits are out of scope.

Split tester work from implementation work

• Tester-owned changes: workflow triggers, validation commands, smoke harness references, build packaging references.
• Implementation-owned changes: workspace manifests, crate paths, project references, physical directory moves, and general docs/instructions outside validation scope.

Examples

• Replace workflow filters from crates/** to src/rust/**.
• Replace workflow filters from legacy/** to src/dotnet/**.
• Retarget dotnet build legacy\HttpGenerator.sln to dotnet build src\dotnet\HttpGenerator.sln.
• Keep target\release\httpgenerator(.exe) bundle paths unchanged when root cargo behavior is intentionally preserved.

Anti-Patterns

• Do not widen the regression matrix just because folders moved.
• Do not rewrite root target\release assumptions unless the migration explicitly changes the root cargo contract.
• Do not silently absorb implementation-owned workspace or project-file rewrites into tester-only validation work.