Morgan Lunt 1c4a5cfded
code-modernization: interactive topology map, preflight command, persona flows
modernize-map previously rendered the call graph and data lineage as
static Mermaid diagrams, which become unreadable once a node has ~10+
edges — exactly the shape of real legacy systems. It now builds an
interactive viewer from a shipped template (assets/topology-viewer.html):
a zoomable circle-pack of domains/modules sized by LOC, rendered to
canvas with level-of-detail reveal, dependency edges with per-kind
toggles, search with fly-to, a per-node detail sidebar, and a flow
walkthrough mode. Small domain-level .mmd exports remain for docs.

- topology.json now has a documented schema (hierarchy + edges + entry
  points + observations + flows) consumed by the viewer
- map traces 2-4 business flows anchored to personas (claimant,
  operator, auditor), each step in plain business language mapped to
  the modules that implement it; the viewer plays them as numbered
  paths
- brief gains a Business Walkthroughs section connecting each persona
  flow to the phase that replaces it
- new modernize-preflight command: detects the stack, checks analysis
  tooling, smoke-compiles a real source file with the legacy toolchain,
  inventories missing copybooks/descriptors/binary-only artifacts, and
  writes a per-command readiness verdict
- transform now verifies legacy + target toolchains before its plan
  gate instead of failing at test time
- README: commands updated, optional-tooling section reframed as 'what
  to give Claude'
2026-06-09 08:48:04 -07:00

3.7 KiB

description argument-hint
Transform one legacy module to the target stack — idiomatic rewrite with behavior-equivalence tests <system-dir> <module> <target-stack>

Transform legacy/$1 module $2 into $3, with proof of behavioral equivalence.

This is a surgical, single-module transformation — one vertical slice of the strangler fig. Output goes to modernized/$1/$2/.

Step 0a — Toolchain check (fail fast)

Verify the build environment before planning, not when the tests first run:

  • Target stack ($3): runtime, package manager, and test framework all respond (java -version + mvn -v, node -v + npm -v, python3 -V + pytest --version, …).
  • Legacy stack (if equivalence tests will execute legacy code): the compiler/interpreter works on this codebase — run a syntax-only compile of the module being transformed (e.g. cobc -fsyntax-only).

If anything is missing or the smoke compile fails, stop and report what to install or fix — suggest /modernize-preflight $1 $3 for the full readiness report. Don't enter plan mode on a machine that can't run the proof.

Step 0b — Plan (HITL gate)

Read the source module and any business rules in analysis/$1/BUSINESS_RULES.md that reference it. Then enter plan mode and present:

  • Which source files are in scope
  • The target module structure (packages/classes/files you'll create)
  • Which business rules / behaviors this module implements
  • How you'll prove equivalence (test strategy)
  • Anything ambiguous that needs a human decision NOW

Wait for approval before writing any code.

Step 1 — Characterization tests FIRST

Before writing target code, spawn the test-engineer subagent:

"Write characterization tests for legacy/$1 module $2. Read the source, identify every observable behavior, and encode each as a test case with concrete input → expected output pairs derived from the legacy logic. Target framework: <appropriate for $3>. Write to modernized/$1/$2/src/test/. These tests define 'done' — the new code must pass all of them."

Show the user the test file. Get a 👍 before proceeding.

Step 2 — Idiomatic transformation

Write the target implementation in modernized/$1/$2/src/main/.

Critical: Write code a senior $3 engineer would write from the specification, not from the legacy structure. Do NOT mirror COBOL paragraphs as methods, do NOT preserve legacy variable names like WS-TEMP-AMT-X. Use the target language's idioms: records/dataclasses, streams, dependency injection, proper error types, etc.

Include: domain model, service logic, API surface (REST controller or equivalent), and configuration. Add concise Javadoc/docstrings linking each class back to the rule IDs it implements.

Step 3 — Prove it

Run the characterization tests:

cd modernized/$1/$2 && <appropriate test command for $3>

Show the output. If anything fails, fix and re-run until green.

Step 4 — Side-by-side review

Generate modernized/$1/$2/TRANSFORMATION_NOTES.md:

  • Mapping table: legacy file:lines → target file:lines, per behavior
  • Deliberate deviations from legacy behavior (with rationale)
  • What was NOT migrated (dead code, unreachable branches) and why
  • Follow-ups for the next module that depends on this one

Then show a visual diff of one representative behavior, legacy vs modern:

delta --side-by-side <(sed -n '<lines>p' legacy/$1/<file>) modernized/$1/$2/src/main/<file>

Step 5 — Architecture review

Spawn the architecture-critic subagent to review the transformed code against $3 best practices. Apply any HIGH-severity feedback; list the rest in TRANSFORMATION_NOTES.md.

Report: tests passing, lines of legacy retired, location of artifacts.