build-ci-migration-assistant

Build/CI Migration Assistant

Automatically migrate build systems and CI/CD configurations to target platforms while preserving functionality.

Workflow

1. Analyze Source Configuration

Identify the current build system or CI/CD platform:

Build Systems:

• Maven (pom.xml)
• Gradle (build.gradle, build.gradle.kts)
• npm (package.json)
• Yarn (package.json + yarn.lock)
• Make (Makefile)
• CMake (CMakeLists.txt)

CI/CD Platforms:

• Travis CI (.travis.yml)
• CircleCI (.circleci/config.yml)
• Jenkins (Jenkinsfile)
• GitLab CI (.gitlab-ci.yml)
• GitHub Actions (.github/workflows/*.yml)

Read and parse the source configuration to understand:

• Dependencies and their versions
• Build commands and lifecycle
• Test configuration
• Environment variables and secrets
• Caching strategy
• Deployment steps

2. Map to Target Platform

Consult the appropriate reference guide:

• Build systems: See [references/build-systems.md](references/build-systems.md)
• CI/CD platforms: See [references/ci-platforms.md](references/ci-platforms.md)

Map source concepts to target equivalents:

• Dependencies → Target dependency format
• Build commands → Target command syntax
• Lifecycle phases → Target stages/jobs
• Environment variables → Target secrets/variables
• Caching → Target caching mechanism

3. Generate Target Configuration

Create the target configuration file(s):

For build systems:

• Generate new build file (build.gradle, pom.xml, etc.)
• Preserve dependency versions
• Map plugins and tasks
• Maintain build lifecycle

For CI/CD platforms:

• Generate workflow/pipeline file
• Convert jobs and stages
• Map triggers and conditions
• Configure runners/agents
• Set up caching and artifacts

4. Validate Migration

Test the generated configuration:

Build system validation:

# Maven
mvn clean install

# Gradle
./gradlew build

# npm
npm install && npm test

CI/CD validation:

• Create a test branch
• Push generated configuration
• Verify pipeline runs successfully
• Check all jobs complete
• Validate artifacts and deployments

5. Document Changes

Provide migration summary including:

• What was migrated
• What requires manual review
• Breaking changes or incompatibilities
• Manual steps needed
• Rollback instructions

Common Migration Paths

Maven to Gradle

Use case: Modernize Java build, improve build performance

Steps:

1. Read pom.xml
2. Map dependencies to Gradle format
3. Convert plugins to Gradle equivalents
4. Generate build.gradle
5. Test build: ./gradlew build

Example:

Original Maven:

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
    <version>2.7.0</version>
</dependency>

Generated Gradle:

dependencies {
    implementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web:2.7.0'
}

See [references/build-systems.md](references/build-systems.md) for complete mapping.

Travis CI to GitHub Actions

Use case: Migrate to GitHub-native CI/CD

Steps:

1. Read .travis.yml
2. Map language/runtime setup
3. Convert matrix builds
4. Migrate environment variables to secrets
5. Generate .github/workflows/ci.yml
6. Test workflow

Example:

Original Travis CI:

language: python
python:
  - "3.9"
script:
  - pytest tests/

Generated GitHub Actions:

name: CI
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
      with:
        python-version: '3.9'
    - run: pytest tests/

See [references/ci-platforms.md](references/ci-platforms.md) for complete mapping.

CircleCI to GitHub Actions

Use case: Consolidate CI/CD on GitHub

Steps:

1. Read .circleci/config.yml
2. Map Docker images to containers
3. Convert workflows to jobs with dependencies
4. Migrate orbs to actions
5. Generate GitHub Actions workflow
6. Test all jobs

GitLab CI to GitHub Actions

Use case: Migrate from GitLab to GitHub

Steps:

1. Read .gitlab-ci.yml
2. Map stages to jobs
3. Convert services to GitHub Actions services
4. Migrate CI/CD variables to secrets
5. Generate workflow files
6. Test pipeline

Migration Checklist

Before Migration

• [ ] Backup existing configuration
• [ ] Document current build/CI behavior
• [ ] Identify custom scripts and dependencies
• [ ] List environment variables and secrets
• [ ] Note any special requirements

During Migration

• [ ] Generate target configuration
• [ ] Map all dependencies
• [ ] Convert all commands
• [ ] Migrate environment variables
• [ ] Set up caching
• [ ] Configure artifacts
• [ ] Update deployment steps

After Migration

• [ ] Test build locally
• [ ] Test CI/CD pipeline
• [ ] Verify all jobs succeed
• [ ] Check artifacts are generated
• [ ] Validate deployments work
• [ ] Update documentation
• [ ] Train team on new system

Validation Strategies

Dry Run

Test migration without committing:

1. Generate configuration in separate branch
2. Run build/CI locally if possible
3. Review generated files
4. Identify issues before committing

Parallel Running

Run both systems temporarily:

1. Keep old configuration
2. Add new configuration
3. Compare results
4. Fix discrepancies
5. Remove old configuration once validated

Incremental Migration

Migrate in stages:

1. Start with basic build
2. Add tests
3. Add caching
4. Add deployment
5. Validate each stage

Common Patterns

Dependency Version Management

Preserve exact versions:

Maven: <version>2.7.0</version>
→ Gradle: implementation 'group:artifact:2.7.0'

Convert version ranges:

Maven: <version>[1.0,2.0)</version>
→ Gradle: implementation 'group:artifact:1.+'

Environment Variables

Travis CI:

env:
  global:
    - DATABASE_URL=postgres://localhost/test

GitHub Actions:

env:
  DATABASE_URL: postgres://localhost/test

Matrix Builds

Travis CI:

python:
  - "3.8"
  - "3.9"

GitHub Actions:

strategy:
  matrix:
    python-version: ['3.8', '3.9']

Caching

CircleCI:

- save_cache:
    paths:
      - node_modules
    key: deps-{{ checksum "package.json" }}

GitHub Actions:

- uses: actions/cache@v3
  with:
    path: node_modules
    key: ${{ runner.os }}-deps-${{ hashFiles('package.json') }}

Troubleshooting

Build Fails After Migration

Check:

• Dependency versions match
• Build commands are correct
• Environment variables are set
• Required tools are installed

Solution:

• Compare old and new configurations
• Run build with verbose output
• Check for missing dependencies
• Verify tool versions

CI Pipeline Fails

Check:

• Workflow syntax is correct
• Secrets are configured
• Runner has required tools
• Network access is available

Solution:

• Review pipeline logs
• Test locally if possible
• Check runner configuration
• Verify permissions

Tests Fail

Check:

• Test commands are correct
• Test environment is set up
• Database/services are running
• Test data is available

Solution:

• Run tests locally
• Check service configuration
• Verify environment variables
• Review test logs

Best Practices

Preserve Functionality

• Keep exact dependency versions initially
• Maintain build lifecycle order
• Preserve all test configurations
• Keep deployment steps identical

Incremental Changes

• Migrate one component at a time
• Test after each change
• Don't combine migration with upgrades
• Document each step

Documentation

• Document what changed
• Note manual steps required
• Provide rollback instructions
• Update team documentation

Testing

• Test locally before pushing
• Use test branches
• Run full test suite
• Validate deployments

References

• [build-systems.md](references/build-systems.md): Detailed mappings for Maven, Gradle, npm, Yarn, Make, CMake migrations
• [ci-platforms.md](references/ci-platforms.md): Complete guides for Travis CI, CircleCI, Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions migrations

Tips

• Start simple: Migrate basic build first, add complexity later
• Test thoroughly: Validate every aspect of the migration
• Keep backups: Maintain old configuration until new one is proven
• Document changes: Clear documentation helps team adoption
• Use references: Consult reference files for detailed mappings
• Validate incrementally: Test each component as you migrate it