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Documentation & Modernization

Writes a cited architecture doc for a local codebase, then a phased plan to modernize or migrate it

Source Download skill
Repository
github/awesome-copilot
Stars
40,703
Licence
MIT
Files
3 files

What it does

When installed, the agent can read a repository you have checked out locally and write one architecture document for it, with claims tied to specific files, suitable for onboarding a new engineer. If you ask to modernize, migrate, or rewrite a legacy system, it first builds that document if none exists, then produces a phased plan that uses a safety ladder and a time-boxed feasibility check instead of requiring a fully green legacy test pipeline up front. The skill is local-first: it reads files on disk and runs git commands to record the branch and commit, and it only looks online for facts it cannot find in the code.

Great for

  • Engineers onboarding onto an unfamiliar codebase who want a trustworthy written reference
  • Teams planning a migration or rewrite of an older system who need an evidence-based starting document
  • Anyone who wants architecture notes tied to a specific commit and branch

Skip it if

  • Projects you have not cloned locally, since the skill depends on reading files on disk (the reason: it cannot document code it cannot see)
  • Situations where the repository contains credentials that should not be pulled into a generated document (the skill redacts tokens in remote URLs, but you should still review output before sharing)
  • Quick one-off questions about a single file, where the full multi-part workflow is heavier than needed

Try asking

  • “Research this repo and write up the architecture for a new engineer joining the team”
  • “Map the system design of this codebase and cite the files that support each claim”
  • “Modernize this legacy service and plan the migration in phases”
  • “How do we get off this legacy stack? Draft a feasibility-checked rewrite plan”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Documentation & ModernizationInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 3 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    doc-and-modernize.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip doc-and-modernize.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip doc-and-modernize.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Run it from inside the checkout so the agent reads the exact code you want documented
  • Review items marked [UNVERIFIED], especially CI enforcement settings that cannot be confirmed from the local files
  • Ask for documentation first and then modernization, so the plan is grounded in the reviewed architecture document

What's inside

  • references/copilot-instructions.template.md
  • references/migration-hazards.md
  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from github/awesome-copilot under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.