workflow-legacy-analysis

To document a legacy codebase before refactoring, collect project artifacts to generate a Context.md and architecture maps, capturing the current system understanding, component data flows, and interfaces to anchor subsequent modifications.

Assessing risks in undocumented legacy code involves analyzing the system architecture to identify unsafe areas and suggest mitigations, providing a structured risk assessment that reduces ambiguity and highlights potential issues before code changes.

Preparing for a legacy system handoff requires generating structured documentation like Context.md and architecture maps to transfer system understanding, alongside actionable recommendations that outline concrete next steps for the incoming team.

Yes, onboarding to unfamiliar projects lacking current docs is a primary use case, applying a repeatable protocol to estimate scope, capture artifacts, and produce structured architecture documentation that fills existing knowledge gaps.

Deliverables from a structured legacy code analysis include a Context.md file capturing current understanding, architecture maps detailing component relationships, a risk assessment with mitigations, and actionable recommendations for future refactors or migrations.

You need a structured analysis protocol for legacy systems when undocumented components create risk and slow meaningful change, requiring artifact collection and scope estimation to plan modifications safely before touching code.