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
• CI/CD platforms: See 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:

• Read pom.xml
• Map dependencies to Gradle format
• Convert plugins to Gradle equivalents
• Generate build.gradle
• 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 for complete mapping.

Travis CI to GitHub Actions

Use case: Migrate to GitHub-native CI/CD

Steps:

• Read .travis.yml
• Map language/runtime setup
• Convert matrix builds
• Migrate environment variables to secrets
• Generate .github/workflows/ci.yml
• 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 for complete mapping.

CircleCI to GitHub Actions

Use case: Consolidate CI/CD on GitHub

Steps:

• Read .circleci/config.yml
• Map Docker images to containers
• Convert workflows to jobs with dependencies
• Migrate orbs to actions
• Generate GitHub Actions workflow
• Test all jobs

GitLab CI to GitHub Actions

Use case: Migrate from GitLab to GitHub

Steps:

• Read .gitlab-ci.yml
• Map stages to jobs
• Convert services to GitHub Actions services
• Migrate CI/CD variables to secrets
• Generate workflow files
• 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:

• Generate configuration in separate branch
• Run build/CI locally if possible
• Review generated files
• Identify issues before committing

Parallel Running

Run both systems temporarily:

• Keep old configuration
• Add new configuration
• Compare results
• Fix discrepancies
• Remove old configuration once validated

Incremental Migration

Migrate in stages:

• Start with basic build
• Add tests
• Add caching
• Add deployment
• 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: Detailed mappings for Maven, Gradle, npm, Yarn, Make, CMake migrations
• 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