codemod-generator

Codemod Generator

A skill for producing automated code transformation scripts that apply design system changes across consuming codebases. When a token is renamed, a component API changes, or an import path moves, this skill generates the script that makes the change everywhere — safely, consistently, and with a dry-run option.

Output type: File creation. This skill produces executable transformation scripts (JavaScript/TypeScript) and documentation. It does not execute the transformations — it generates scripts that teams run in their own codebases.

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Why this exists

A design system change without a migration path is a breaking promise. When you rename color.brand.primary to color.action.primary, every consumer who uses that token has to find and replace it — manually, across every file, hoping they do not miss one. When you change a Button prop from type to variant, every consuming team has to grep their codebase, update every instance, and test every page.

This manual work is where migration debt accumulates. Teams delay adopting the new version because the upgrade cost is too high. The system fragments — some teams on v3, some on v4, some on a custom fork they stopped updating two versions ago.

Codemods fix this by automating the mechanical part of migration. A codemod is a script that reads source code, applies a specific transformation, and writes the result — safely, deterministically, and across thousands of files in seconds.

This skill generates those scripts. It does not replace the deprecation plan or the migration guide — those are context-heavy, human-judgment outputs. It replaces the mechanical labour of applying the changes.

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Configuration

Check for .ds-ops-config.yml in the project root:

codemods:
  language: "typescript"              # typescript, javascript, or both
  transform_engine: "jscodeshift"     # jscodeshift, ts-morph, or custom
  output_directory: "codemods/"
  test_framework: "jest"              # jest or vitest for codemod tests
  style_dictionary_format: false      # If tokens use Style Dictionary format
  css_custom_properties: true         # If tokens are consumed as CSS custom properties