| name | modernize |
| description | Modernization radar + upgrade planning. Identify deprecations, EOL runtimes, and outdated patterns; produce a prioritized modernization backlog and safe upgrade path. By default, do not refactor for readability, do not do bug-risk refactors, and do not perform dependency upgrade sweeps unless explicitly requested.
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Modernize Doctor (Planning-First, Low-Churn)
Mission
Run a modernization assessment
- Detect deprecated APIs and framework patterns that will break soon
- Detect EOL / soon-to-be-EOL runtimes and major ecosystem shifts
- Identify outdated implementations where a modern standard exists
- Produce a prioritized backlog and a safe upgrade plan (with guardrails)
This skill is intentionally not a refactor pass.
Explicit Non-Goals (avoid overlap with refactor)
Do not:
- Perform readability refactors, renames, or code cleanup
- Perform bug-risk scanning/fixing as a general pass
- Remove dead/deprecated code as a cleanup exercise
- Add/modify verification scripts or test harnesses
- Do broad dependency upgrade sweeps (patch/minor upgrades) by default
If any of the above is needed, keep track of such and let me know to hand off to the refactor skill.
Inputs
Collect:
- Languages/frameworks + runtime versions (Node/Python/etc.)
- Dependency manifests and lockfiles
- CI/workflow configuration (runtime versions used in CI)
- Any pinned infra/tooling constraints (deployment platform, container base image, etc.)
Phase 0 — Modernization Inventory (read-only)
Report:
- Runtime targets (Node/Python/etc.) and their support status (EOL/soon EOL/active)
- Top-level frameworks/libs that frequently deprecate APIs (Next.js, FastAPI, etc.)
- Tooling baseline (TypeScript, ESLint, formatter, build tooling)
Phase 1 — Deprecation & Drift Map (read-only)
Identify:
- Deprecation warnings in code/comments/config
- Deprecated APIs used in framework or SDK calls
- Deprecated config keys in tooling (lint/build/test)
- Patterns that are still "working" but no longer recommended
Output a list:
- What is deprecated
- Where it appears (file + symbol)
- Suggested replacement (one-liner)
- Risk level (low/med/high)
- Whether it is blocking future upgrades
Phase 2 — Upgrade Opportunities (plan only)
For each major component (runtime/framework/core libs):
- Current version → recommended target
- What breaks (high-level)
- Migration steps (checklist)
- Estimated effort (S/M/L)
- Suggested sequencing (what must happen first)
Important:
- Do not apply major upgrades in this skill.
- Do not apply minor/patch upgrades unless explicitly requested.
Phase 3 — “Better Primitive” Suggestions (plan only)
Flag places where modern standard primitives reduce maintenance burden, without rewriting now:
- Replace custom utility with standard library / well-adopted library
- Replace outdated patterns with current recommended patterns
Keep suggestions concrete:
- before/after API call shape
- exact files to touch
- why it matters (maintenance, compatibility, future upgrades)
Outputs
Deliver:
-
Modernization Backlog (prioritized)
- Item, location, risk, why, suggested fix
-
Upgrade Plan
- Recommended sequencing and checkpoints
-
Do-Now vs Do-Later
- Quick wins (low risk, unblocking)
- Major migrations (plan only)
-
Explicit “No Changes Applied” statement
- Unless the user explicitly requested applying specific upgrades
Optional Mode: Apply a Single Targeted Modernization
Only if explicitly requested (e.g., “modernize Next.js config warnings”):
- Apply the smallest change set for that single target
- Keep diffs tight
- No broad refactors
- Note how to verify (but do not add new scripts)
Stop Conditions
Stop and report (do not change code) when:
- The only path forward is a major upgrade/migration
- Constraints are unclear (deployment/runtime pinned)
- The change would overlap with refactor responsibilities
