AL version migration for Business Central. An agent skill from javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection.

MITAuto-check passedDevOps & Cloud

Install Skill Migrate

skills CLI
$ npx skills add javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection --skill skill-migrate -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection skill-migrate --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/skill-migrate .claude/skills/skill-migrate && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
skill-migrate
GitHub stars
109
Token cost
~3k tokens
SKILL.md length
779 words
Files
3 (incl. references)
Skills in repo
14
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

AL version migration for Business Central. An agent skill from javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection.

  • Works in 5 steps: Pre-Migration Assessment → Update Configuration → Fix Compilation Errors → …
  • Upgrading extensions between BC versions
  • SKILL.md covers Purpose, When to Load, Core Patterns and Workflow, plus 3 more sections
  • Calls git

What it does

Skill Migrate is an agent skill from javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection. AL version migration for Business Central. Use when upgrading extensions between BC versions, handling breaking changes, or implementing rollback strategies.

Its SKILL.md is about 3k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 3 other files, including reference files (for example `references/al18-capabilities.md` and `references/cli-al-tools.md`).

It sits in DevOps & Cloud. The repository describes itself as: AL development toolkit for Business Central with specialist agents, skills and review workflows for Copilot, Claude Code and Codex. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Upgrading extensions between BC versions
  • Handling breaking changes
  • Implementing rollback strategies

Example prompts

  • “/skill-migrate”

Workflow steps

5 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. Pre-Migration Assessment
  2. Update Configuration
  3. Fix Compilation Errors
  4. Regenerate and Validate
  5. Post-Migration

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 4f99d7d. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • git

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):

    • learn.microsoft.com

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Skill Migrate loads about 3k tokens when it runs, and up to ~6.4k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 43 tokens; SKILL.md has 779 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~43
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~3k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~6.4k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection at commit 4f99d7d, republished under its MIT licence (© javiarmesto). 779 words, ~2,979 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/skill-migrate/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
skill-migrate
description
AL version migration for Business Central. Use when upgrading extensions between BC versions, handling breaking changes, or implementing rollback strategies.

Skill: AL Project Migration

Purpose

Plan and execute BC platform version upgrades: app.json configuration, breaking-change remediation, deprecated API replacement, event signature updates, upgrade codeunits for data migration, rollback strategy, and manifest regeneration.

When to Load

This skill should be loaded when:

  • Upgrading an AL extension to a newer BC platform version (e.g., BC 23.x → 24.x)
  • Fixing compilation errors after updating the runtime or platform property
  • Replacing deprecated AL patterns (C/AL legacy, obsolete APIs)
  • Updating event subscriber signatures after base-app changes
  • Writing upgrade codeunits for schema changes or data migration
  • Generating a full deployment package after migration

Core Patterns

For BC29 / AL18, first read AL18 capability checks when selecting new manifest, public-resource, isolation, testing or translation features. Apply only the sections needed by the requirement; distinguish announced capabilities from locally verified declarations. Keep BC28 configuration unchanged unless an upgrade is part of the approved task.

Pattern 1: App.json Platform Update

Update the three version-sensitive properties in app.json:

json
{
  "platform": "25.0.0.0",
  "runtime": "14.0",
  "application": "25.0.0.0",
  "dependencies": [
    {
      "id": "63ca2fa4-4f03-4f2b-a480-172fef340d3f",
      "name": "System Application",
      "publisher": "Microsoft",
      "version": "25.0.0.0"
    }
  ],
  "features": ["TranslationFile", "GenerateCaptions", "NoImplicitWith"]
}

Rules:

  • platform — target BC platform version (major.minor.0.0)
  • runtime — AL runtime version matching the target (see runtime matrix)
  • application — must match or be compatible with target platform
  • Resolve each dependency by identity, minimum version, target runtime and required APIs; do not require every library version to numerically match the application version.
  • Add new features flags required by the target runtime (e.g., NoImplicitWith from runtime 11.0+)
Pattern 2: Deprecated Code Replacement

Replace legacy patterns with modern equivalents:

al
// ❌ Deprecated — C/AL style
Record.FIND('-');
Record.FINDSET(TRUE, TRUE);
IF Record.FINDFIRST THEN;
Record.INIT;
Record.INSERT;

// ✅ Modern — AL patterns
Record.FindSet();
Record.FindSet(true, true);
if Record.FindFirst() then;
Record.Init();
Record.Insert(true);
al
// ❌ Deprecated — WITH statement (removed in NoImplicitWith)
with SalesHeader do begin
    "Document Type" := "Document Type"::Order;
    "Sell-to Customer No." := CustomerNo;
    Insert(true);
end;

// ✅ Modern — explicit record reference
SalesHeader."Document Type" := SalesHeader."Document Type"::Order;
SalesHeader."Sell-to Customer No." := CustomerNo;
SalesHeader.Insert(true);
al
// ❌ Deprecated — TextConst (runtime < 6.0)
CustomerNotFoundErr@1000 : TextConst 'ENU=Customer %1 not found.';

// ✅ Modern — Label
var
    CustomerNotFoundErr: Label 'Customer %1 not found.';
Pattern 3: Event Signature Migration

When base-app events add or change parameters between versions:

al
// BC 23.x subscriber — 3 parameters
[EventSubscriber(ObjectType::Codeunit, Codeunit::"Sales-Post",
                 OnBeforePostSalesDoc, '', false, false)]
local procedure OnBeforePost(
    var SalesHeader: Record "Sales Header";
    CommitIsSuppressed: Boolean;
    var IsHandled: Boolean)
begin
    // ...
end;

// BC 24.x — same event now has 4 parameters (new PreviewMode added)
[EventSubscriber(ObjectType::Codeunit, Codeunit::"Sales-Post",
                 OnBeforePostSalesDoc, '', false, false)]
local procedure OnBeforePost(
    var SalesHeader: Record "Sales Header";
    CommitIsSuppressed: Boolean;
    PreviewMode: Boolean;
    var IsHandled: Boolean)
begin
    // ...
end;

Migration steps:

  1. Build with al_build — signature mismatches produce AL0482 errors
  2. Use al_get_object_definition to inspect the new publisher signature
  3. Update parameter list to match exactly (name, type, order)
  4. Re-verify with al_build
Pattern 4: Obsolete Object Handling

Handle objects marked ObsoleteState = Removed in the target version:

al
// Step 1: Find usage of removed objects
// al_search_objects — search for the obsolete table/page/codeunit

// Step 2: Replace with the designated successor
// Before (removed in BC 24):
// Codeunit 80 "Sales-Post (Yes/No)" — ObsoleteState = Removed
// After:
Codeunit.Run(Codeunit::"Sales-Post", SalesHeader);

// Step 3: Check ObsoleteReason for migration guidance
// ObsoleteReason typically says: "Use codeunit X instead"

Process:

  1. Compile → collect all AL0503 (removed) and AL0432 (pending) warnings
  2. For Removed — must fix before compilation succeeds
  3. For Pending — fix proactively to avoid future breaks
  4. Check release notes for each removed object's replacement
Pattern 5: Upgrade Codeunit (Data Migration)

Use upgrade codeunits to transform data when schema changes between versions:

al
codeunit 50100 "Contoso Data Upgrade"
{
    Subtype = Upgrade;

    trigger OnUpgradePerCompany()
    var
        Module: Info;
    begin
        Module.DataVersion(1);      // check data version tracking
        MigrateCustomerLoyaltyData();
        SplitAddressFields();
    end;

    trigger OnValidateUpgradePerCompany()
    begin
        // Pre-upgrade validation — runs before OnUpgradePerCompany
        VerifyDataIntegrity();
    end;

    local procedure MigrateCustomerLoyaltyData()
    var
        Customer: Record Customer;
        ContosoLoyalty: Record "Contoso Loyalty Entry";
        UpgradeTag: Codeunit "Upgrade Tag";
    begin
        if UpgradeTag.HasUpgradeTag(GetLoyaltyMigrationTag()) then
            exit;

        // Migrate data from old field to new table
        Customer.SetFilter("Contoso Legacy Points", '>0');
        if Customer.FindSet() then
            repeat
                ContosoLoyalty.Init();
                ContosoLoyalty."Customer No." := Customer."No.";
                ContosoLoyalty.Points := Customer."Contoso Legacy Points";
                ContosoLoyalty."Entry Date" := WorkDate();
                ContosoLoyalty.Insert();
            until Customer.Next() = 0;

        UpgradeTag.SetUpgradeTag(GetLoyaltyMigrationTag());
    end;

    local procedure GetLoyaltyMigrationTag(): Code[250]
    begin
        exit('CONTOSO-LOYALTY-MIGRATION-20260301');
    end;
}

Upgrade codeunit rules:

  • Subtype = Upgrade — BC runs these automatically during app upgrade
  • Use UpgradeTag to ensure idempotency — never run migration twice
  • OnValidateUpgradePerCompany runs first — validate data before transforming
  • OnUpgradePerCompany runs per company — do the actual migration
  • Always test with a copy of production data before deploying
  • For large datasets, use SelectLatestVersion() and batch processing
Pattern 6: Rollback Strategy

Document and prepare rollback before executing migration:

markdown
## Rollback Plan — {Project} Migration v{X} → v{Y}

### Pre-Migration Checklist
- [ ] Git branch created from stable tag: `git checkout -b migration/vX-to-vY vX.0.0`
- [ ] Database backup taken and verified
- [ ] Extension .app file of current version archived
- [ ] Rollback tested in sandbox environment

### Rollback Procedure
1. **Code rollback**: `git checkout vX.0.0` — restore previous version
2. **Extension rollback**: Uninstall new version, install archived .app
3. **Data rollback** (if upgrade codeunit ran):
   - Restore database from pre-migration backup
   - OR run compensating downgrade codeunit (if written)
4. **Verify**: Run smoke tests on restored environment

### Point of No Return
⚠️ After these actions, rollback requires database restore:
- Upgrade codeunits that DELETE data
- Schema changes that DROP columns
- External system notifications sent

Rollback rules:

  • Always create a rollback plan BEFORE starting migration
  • Tag the pre-migration commit: git tag vX.0.0-pre-migration
  • Archive the current .app file alongside the plan
  • Test rollback in sandbox — never assume it works
  • If upgrade codeunit is destructive (deletes data), document the point of no return

Workflow

Show full SKILL.md (320 more words)Show less
Step 1: Pre-Migration Assessment
  1. Backup: Ensure source control is up to date (git status clean)
  2. Download current symbols: al_downloadsymbols
  3. Document dependencies: al_packages — list loaded packages with current versions
  4. Review release notes: Check BC target version breaking changes
  5. Create migration plan in .github/plans/{project}-migration.md

PAUSE — wait for user approval before modifying files.

Step 2: Update Configuration
  1. Update app.json (Pattern 1) — platform, runtime, application, dependencies, features
  2. Download new symbols for target version
  3. Build: al_build — collect all errors
Step 3: Fix Compilation Errors

Prioritize by error type:

  1. AL0503 (Removed objects) → Pattern 4
  2. AL0482 (Event signature mismatch) → Pattern 3
  3. AL0432 (Deprecated usage) → Pattern 2
  4. Other errors → case-by-case analysis

For each fix, verify with incremental build.

Step 4: Regenerate and Validate
  1. Update the manifest (app.json) — no agent tool; edit directly (or via the VS Code command)
  2. Full build: al_build — zero errors, zero new warnings; al_build also produces the .app package
  3. Run existing tests to verify no regressions
Step 5: Post-Migration
  1. Update CHANGELOG with migration notes
  2. Tag the commit with new version
  3. Test in sandbox environment before production

Version-Specific Notes

Upgrade PathKey Breaking Changes
BC 20 → 21New permission model, page layout changes
BC 21 → 22Namespace support, NoImplicitWith enforcement
BC 22 → 23Async patterns, isolated events, security hardening
BC 23 → 24New AL capabilities, event parameter additions
BC 24 → 25Enhanced debugging, agent integration, new runtime features

References

Constraints

  • This skill covers version migration planning, breaking-change remediation, and configuration updates
  • Do NOT modify base BC objects — extension-only changes
  • Do NOT skip the pre-migration backup and assessment step
  • Do NOT combine migration with feature development — migrate first, then develop
  • Always create a migration plan and obtain approval before modifying files
  • Event debugging → skill-debug.md | Performance after migration → skill-performance.md | Test verification → skill-testing.md

© javiarmesto, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 2 other files (references) in skills/skill-migrate of javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/al18-capabilities.md
  • references/cli-al-tools.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 4f99d7d

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Categories

Questions about Skill Migrate

What does Skill Migrate do?

AL version migration for Business Central. An agent skill from javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection. Skill Migrate is an agent skill from javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection. AL version migration for Business Central.

When should I use Skill Migrate?

Skill Migrate fits situations like: upgrading extensions between BC versions; handling breaking changes; implementing rollback strategies.

How do I install Skill Migrate in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection --skill skill-migrate -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/skill-migrate in javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection) into .claude/skills/skill-migrate in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Skill Migrate in Codex?

Run `npx skills add javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection --skill skill-migrate -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/skill-migrate in javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection) into .agents/skills/skill-migrate in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Skill Migrate in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection --skill skill-migrate -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/skill-migrate, .gemini/skills/skill-migrate, .github/skills/skill-migrate and .opencode/skills/skill-migrate in your project.

What does Skill Migrate need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Skill Migrate needs the command-line tools its instructions call (git).

Does Skill Migrate access the network?

SKILL.md names 1 domain. As links in the text: learn.microsoft.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Skill Migrate safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Skill Migrate use?

Skill Migrate is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Skill Migrate use?

About 3k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 12k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 3.5k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Skill Migrate?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Skill Migrate: Monitor CI (nrwl/nx, 29k stars), Terraform and OpenTofu Guide (agentscope-ai/QwenPaw, 36k stars), Vercel Optimize Audit (vercel-labs/agent-skills, 32k stars) and Analyze GitHub Action Logs (withastro/astro, 63k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Skill Migrate?

javiarmesto (a GitHub user) maintains it in javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection, which has 109 GitHub stars. The repository holds 14 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 7, 2026.

Source: javiarmesto/ALDC-AL-Development-Collection on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.