aws-transform
Migrate, modernize, and upgrade codebases to AWS. Run analysis on repos for tech debt, security vulnerabilities, and modernization opportunities. Transforms .NET Framework to .NET 8/10, mainframe COBOL to Java, VMware VMs to EC2, SQL Server to Aurora, and upgrades Java/Python/Node.js versions and AWS SDKs. Use when the user says "migrate .NET to AWS", "upgrade Java to 17/21", "modernize COBOL", "modernize mainframe", "move VMware to EC2", "convert SQL Server to Aurora", "upgrade Python version", "migrate AWS SDK", "transform this codebase", "analyze for issues", "find tech debt", "what tech de
Profile →npx skills add awslabs/agent-plugins --skill aws-transform --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
What it does
The skill is designed to migrate, modernize, and upgrade codebases to AWS. It analyzes repos for tech debt, security vulnerabilities, and modernization opportunities, and performs transformations such as converting .NET Framework to .NET 8/10, COBOL to Java, VMware VMs to EC2, SQL Server to Aurora, and upgrading language versions and AWS SDKs. It supports workflows that involve assessment, planning, and execution through AWS Transform tooling, with a strong emphasis on continuous modernization and scheduling options.
How it works
- It defines a CRITICAL routing rule: identify workload signals in the user request and route accordingly. If the workload is not explicit, it defaults to continuous modernization.
- It requires the AWS Transform MCP server and the AWS Transform CLI. Prerequisites include configuring the MCP server and installing the CLI via curl commands.
- It enforces a mandatory workflow: Discovery, Scope, Assessment, Requirements, Approval, Tasks, Execute, ensuring assessment-based requirements precede execution.
- It performs preflight checks such as version verification of the CLI, credential preflight with AWS STS, and environment validation (AWS_PROFILE, AWS_REGION, ATX_CUSTOM_ENDPOINT).
- It uses atx ct commands to run continuous modernization tasks, with guidance on telemetry, version checks, and adaptive routing based on outcomes.
- For workflow control, it emphasizes not starting execution without an assessment report and the required artifacts (requirements.md and tasks.md).
When to use it
Use when the user requests modernization or migration of workloads (for example, migrating .NET to AWS, COBOL modernization, moving VMware to EC2, or SQL Server to Aurora) and when an analysis for tech debt, CVEs, or security vulnerabilities is appropriate. If the user describes unrelated infrastructure provisioning or generic coding tasks, this skill redirects to appropriate workloads and cautions that those tasks are outside scope.
What it can touch
- Uses the AWS Transform CLI and MCP server as configured in the prerequisites. Commands referenced include:
curl -fsSL https://transform-cli.awsstatic.com/install.sh | bashatx ct(continuous modernization) for running analyses and transformations- Version checks and environment validations as described in the workflow
Caveats
- The skill forbids showcasing pricing or timing estimates and directs users to AWS pricing pages instead.
- It requires proper workload signals to route correctly; VMware, SQL, and mainframe requests are handled by their dedicated workload agents and are not routed to continuous modernization.
- It mandates the presence of an assessment and requirements artifacts before execution.
- Telemetry notice is emitted once per session for continuous modernization usage and can be opted out per guidance in the workflow.
# AWS Transform ## CRITICAL: Route Before Anything Else **STOP. Before reading files, analyzing code, or starting any workflow, identify the workload first, then route.** ### Step A: Identify the workload Look for an explicit workload signal in the user's request — a named technology (`.NET`, `VMware`, `SQL Server`/`Aurora`/`Oracle`/`MySQL`, `mainframe`/`COBOL`), workload-specific terminology (Hyper-V, EC2 rehost, stored procs, CICS, JCL), or file/project signals already in the conversation. If no signal is present, treat the request as **workload-unspecified**. ### Step B: Apply workload-specific routing Workload-specific rules ALWAYS win over the keyword list in Step C. Do not let "analysis" or "tech debt" phrasing override these. | Workload | Route | | ------------------------ | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- CRITICAL: Route Before Anything Else
- Step A: Identify the workload
- Step B: Apply workload-specific routing
- Step C: Keyword-based routing (workload-unspecified only)
- Step D: For continuous modernization requests
- CRITICAL: Never Show Pricing or Timing Estimates
- Overview
- Prerequisites
- Mandatory workflow
- Resuming a prior session
- Determining user intent
- Generic intent menu
- Discovery
- Scoping (GATE 1)
curl -fsSL https://transform-cli.awsstatic.com/install.sh | bash
What does the aws-transform skill do?
Migrate, modernize, and upgrade codebases to AWS. Run analysis on repos for tech debt, security vulnerabilities, and modernization opportunities. Transforms .NET Framework to .NET 8/10, mainframe COBOL to Java, VMware VMs to EC2, SQL Server to Aurora, and upgrades Java/Python/Node.js versions and AWS SDKs. Use when the user says "migrate .NET to AWS", "upgrade Java to 17/21", "modernize COBOL", "modernize mainframe", "move VMware to EC2", "convert SQL Server to Aurora", "upgrade Python version", "migrate AWS SDK", "transform this codebase", "analyze for issues", "find tech debt", "what tech de
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add awslabs/agent-plugins --skill aws-transform --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From awslabs/agent-plugins, a repository with 850 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.