What gets created by mags-legacy?

It creates current-architecture, migration-plan, tech-debt, target-architecture, tech-stack, and project-structure docs using the legacy templates and detected findings.

Do I need to answer all legacy questions at once?

Yes. The workflow asks the four legacy-context questions together to produce coherent planning documents.

Can I re-run mags-legacy after updating the codebase?

Yes. Re-running will regenerate/update docs based on new scan results and any revised legacy context.

mags-legacy

Scanned

npx machina-cli add skill doancan/mags/mags-legacy --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

2.4 KB

MAGS Legacy Init

Initialize MAGS for an existing (brownfield/legacy) project that already has code but lacks documentation.

Steps

1. Scan existing codebase

Use mags_detect_stack to detect the project's tech stack automatically. Use mags_discover_modules to find existing modules in the code.

Report findings:

Detected Stack:
  Languages:    <detected>
  Frameworks:   <detected>
  Databases:    <detected>
  API Style:    <detected>

Discovered Modules:
  - <module> (confidence: <score>%)
  - ...

2. Gather legacy context from user

Ask the user these questions (all at once):

What is the migration goal? (modernize, rewrite, extend, maintain)
What are the main pain points in the current codebase?
Are there parts of the system that must be preserved as-is?
What is the target architecture? (keep current, monolith, microservices, serverless)

3. Create legacy documentation

Using mags_create_doc, create these documents from the legacy templates:

current-architecture — Document the current architecture based on scan results
migration-plan — Create a migration plan based on user goals
tech-debt — Start a tech debt registry
target-architecture — Document the target architecture

Also create standard docs:

tech-stack — Based on detected stack
project-structure — Based on discovered modules

4. Show summary

MAGS Legacy Init Complete

  Stack:         <detected stack summary>
  Modules:       <N> modules discovered

  Documents Created:
    - current-architecture.md
    - migration-plan.md
    - tech-debt.md
    - target-architecture.md
    - tech-stack.md
    - project-structure.md

Run /mags-status to see your project dashboard.

Related commands:

Command	Description
`/mags-init`	Initialize MAGS for a new project
`/mags-status`	View project progress dashboard
`/mags-setup`	Get Claude Code configuration recommendations

Source

git clone https://github.com/doancan/mags/blob/main/skills/mags-legacy/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

MAGS Legacy Init bootstraps documentation for brownfield projects that already have code but lack docs. It detects the stack and modules, collects legacy goals, and generates a standard set of documentation templates to accelerate knowledge capture.

How This Skill Works

The tool runs mags_detect_stack to infer the project's tech stack and mags_discover_modules to enumerate existing modules. It then prompts for legacy context and uses mags_create_doc to generate key documents (current-architecture, migration-plan, tech-debt, target-architecture) plus standard docs like tech-stack and project-structure.

When to Use It

You have a codebase with no docs and need visibility into stack and modules
You want a migration or modernization plan for a brownfield project
You need to register tech-debt and document the current architecture
You plan to document both current and target architectures for alignment
You are preparing documentation templates before a formal rewrite or microservice breakdown

Quick Start

Step 1: Run mags_detect_stack to detect the stack and mags_discover_modules to enumerate modules
Step 2: Answer the legacy context questions (migration goal, pain points, preserved parts, target architecture)
Step 3: Run mags_create_doc to generate current-architecture, migration-plan, tech-debt, target-architecture, plus tech-stack and project-structure docs

Best Practices

Scan the codebase first to accurately detect stack and modules using mags_detect_stack and mags_discover_modules
Capture all legacy questions at once to avoid back-and-forth, per the workflow
Use mags_create_doc to produce current-architecture, migration-plan, tech-debt, and target-architecture documents from templates
Create tech-stack and project-structure docs based on actual findings for a holistic view
Review generated docs with stakeholders and keep them up to date as the project evolves

Example Use Cases

Brownfield e-commerce app with a monolith needing documentation before a rewrite
Legacy internal toolset with unclear module boundaries and outdated tech stack
CMS migrating to a microservices or serverless architecture with documented targets
On-premise backend with a rich tech stack requiring a current-architecture baseline
Data-heavy legacy app where tech-debt landmarks help prioritize modernization

Frequently Asked Questions

Add this skill to your agents