Discovery (Stage 1)

Discovery is the first stage of every modernisation session. It scans the source project and builds a complete picture of what needs to be migrated — languages, dependencies, compliance exposures, tech debt, and migration units.

Discovery runs automatically after session initialisation. It does not modify any files.

Discovery Phases

Discovery runs through 11 sequential phases:

Phase	Description
`walking`	File enumeration and extension classification
`metadata`	Build system and framework detection
`fingerprinting`	Compliance pattern fingerprint extraction
`grc-scan`	GRC violation scanning
`graph`	Module dependency graph construction
`call-graph`	Intra-project function call graph
`api-surface`	API endpoint detection
`schema`	Data schema and type extraction
`tech-debt`	Tech debt analysis across 33 categories
`pairing`	Cross-project unit matching for multi-project sessions
`complete`	Discovery finished

Language Detection

The IDE detects languages via file extensions, shebang lines, and content heuristics.

Supported legacy languages: COBOL, PL/I, RPG (AS/400), Natural (Adabas), FORTRAN, Ada, Perl, VB6, PowerBuilder, MUMPS, ABAP, Delphi

Embedded and firmware: C, C++, ARM Assembly, AVR Assembly, IEC 61131-3 (Ladder Logic, Structured Text, IL, FBD), AUTOSAR ARXML, SVD register maps, Linker scripts, CAN DBC

Telecom: TTCN-3, ASN.1

Modern targets: Java, TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, C#, Go, Rust, Kotlin, Scala, and more

Tech Debt Analysis

Discovery detects 33 categories of tech debt across generic, firmware, automotive, telecom, and energy domains.

Generic

Category	Description
`god-unit`	High cyclomatic complexity combined with high line count
`dead-code`	Functions or paragraphs never called within the project
`code-clone`	Near-duplicate code blocks across files
`magic-number`	Hardcoded numeric literals with no symbolic name
`hardcoded-credential`	Password, key, or token value in source
`hardcoded-url`	Production URLs embedded in source
`deep-nesting`	Control flow nested beyond threshold
`long-parameter-list`	Functions with excessive parameter count
`missing-error-handling`	No error handling in I/O-intensive units
`commented-out-code`	Large blocks of commented-out code
`todo-fixme`	TODO, FIXME, or HACK markers
`implicit-type-coercion`	Type precision risk from implicit conversions
`unbounded-loop`	Loop with no visible termination condition
`copy-paste-cobol`	Identical COBOL paragraph bodies
`goto-usage`	GOTO or GOBACK in non-entry context
`global-state`	Mutable global or package-level state
`no-unit-tests`	No detected test coverage

Firmware / Embedded (IEC 61508 / MISRA-C)

Category	Description
`unsafe-pointer-arithmetic`	Raw MMIO pointer cast (MISRA Rule 11.4)
`isr-reentrance-risk`	ISR accesses shared data without critical section
`misra-c-critical-violation`	MISRA-C mandatory rule violation
`hardware-dependency`	Logic tightly coupled to MCU register address
`watchdog-gap`	Missing watchdog refresh (IEC 61508 requirement)

Automotive (ISO 26262 / AUTOSAR)

Category	Description
`autosar-rte-dependency`	AUTOSAR Classic RTE with no Adaptive mapping
`e2e-protection-gap`	E2E CRC or counter missing
`asil-decomposition-break`	ASIL-D decomposition without formal rationale
`can-signal-scaling-mismatch`	DBC factor/offset not preserved in translation

Telecom (3GPP / GSMA)

Category	Description
`security-key-material`	3GPP AS/NAS keys inline in source
`protocol-state-machine-break`	Non-serialisable RRC/NAS state machine
`ttcn3-verdict-suppression`	INCONC verdict without linked test reference

Energy / Critical Infrastructure

Category	Description
`goose-protection-relay`	IEC 61850 GOOSE bridged via TCP/MQTT (prohibited)
`dnp3-secure-auth-gap`	DNP3 SA_CHALLENGE response missing
`sis-sil-downgrade`	SIS/ESD change that would reduce SIL rating

Compliance Framework Detection

Discovery detects regulated patterns associated with these frameworks:

Framework	Domain
`iec-61508`	Functional Safety (SIL 1–4)
`iec-62443`	Industrial Cybersecurity (SL 1–4)
`iec-61131`	PLC Programming Standards
`misra-c`	MISRA C:2012 / C:2023 language subset
`autosar`	AUTOSAR Classic and Adaptive Platform
`iso-26262`	Automotive Functional Safety (ASIL A–D)
`iec-61850`	Substation Automation (GOOSE, SV, MMS)
`iec-61511`	Process Industry Functional Safety
`iec-62061`	Safety of Machinery Control Systems
`iso-13849`	Performance Level (PLd/PLe)

Discovery Statistics

After completion, Discovery reports:

totalFilesWalked          All files enumerated
totalFilesScanned         Files with content analysis
totalUnitsExtracted       Migration units identified
languageDistribution      File counts per language
riskDistribution          Units per risk level (critical/high/medium/low)
effortDistribution        Units per effort band (trivial/small/medium/large/xlarge)
avgFileLines              Average lines per source file
avgUnitComplexity         Average McCabe cyclomatic complexity
largestFileLines          Largest file line count
mostComplexUnitCC         Highest cyclomatic complexity
criticalUnitCount         Units flagged as critical risk
deadCodeUnitCount         Units with no callers
techDebtItemCount         Total tech debt items across all categories
regulatedDataHitCount     Regulated data pattern matches
externalDependencyCount   Unique external module dependencies

Migration Units

Each file or logical module in the source project becomes a migration unit. Units are the atomic unit of translation — one unit is translated, validated, and approved at a time.

Each unit carries:

Detected language
Risk level: critical | high | medium | low
Effort band: trivial | small | medium | large | xlarge
Dependency list (other units this unit imports)
Compliance fingerprint
Tech debt items
Regulated data hits

Was this page helpful?

On this page