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Inside the Migration: Introducing the Project Migration Report

· 4 min read

Author: Chakravarthy Batna

Migration is a critical part of maintaining and evolving software projects. Ensuring that these transitions are smooth and well-documented can often be challenging. To streamline this process and provide more visibility, we’re excited to introduce our new Migration Report—a feature that captures all the changes made during project migrations.

This report serves as a comprehensive log, tracking every modification, enhancement, or adjustment applied throughout the migration process. By capturing key details and presenting them in an easy-to-understand format, we aim to make your migration experience more transparent, efficient, and error-free.

In this blog post, we’ll dive into how the Migration Report works, the benefits it brings to your workflow, and how it helps ensure your projects are always up to date and running smoothly.

Background​

When WaveMaker Studio releases new features or upgrades the application stack, projects are automatically migrated to ensure compatibility with the latest version. While this automation simplifies the process, it often leaves users uncertain about the specific changes made to their projects. This lack of clarity can create confusion and disrupt workflows, especially when migrations involve substantial updates such as:

  • Upgrading namespaces: E.g., from javax to jakarta in web.xml and Java files.
  • Removing unnecessary overriding dependencies.
  • Eliminating unused properties in pom.xml files.

To address this challenge, we’ve developed a robust solution: the Migration Report.

The Migration Report​

The Migration Report is a newly introduced feature aimed at delivering a clear and thorough overview of all changes made during the migration process. With detailed documentation available in both technical and accessible formats, this feature bridges the gap between automated processes and user comprehension.

What’s Included?​

  • migration_info.md: A markdown file written in a human-readable format, providing a concise and easy-to-understand summary of migration details.

The migration_info.md file is located in the root of the project directory and can be opened using File Explorer inside the WaveMaker Studio.

File Path

Sample Migration Report Snapshot​

Sample Migration Report

Key Features​

1. Highlighting Critical Changes​

During migrations, certain changes are more impactful and need immediate attention. For example:

  • In version 11.8.1, overridden dependencies added by users are automatically removed during the migration process.

The Migration Report specifically highlights these removed dependencies, ensuring they are easily identified and not overlooked.

Highlight Changes

2. Summarizing Large-Scale Changes​

When updates involve wide-reaching changes, such as replacing javax with jakarta across many Java files, listing every single change can be overwhelming. Instead, the Migration Report provides a summary like:

"Updated javax to jakarta in X Java files."

For smaller changes, the report includes detailed information to help users gain a clearer understanding.

Summarizing

3. Prioritizing Recent Updates​

To improve user experience, the migration_info.md file always displays the most recent migration messages at the top. This ensures users can quickly identify and understand the latest changes applied to their projects.

Conclusion​

The Migration Report goes beyond being just a tool for documentation; it’s an essential resource designed to empower users throughout the migration journey. By providing a clear, transparent, and user-friendly experience, we aim to:

  • Eliminate ambiguity: Users can easily identify what changes were made, ensuring full clarity on the modifications applied.
  • Build confidence: The Migration Report makes it easier for users to assess the impact of changes on their project, helping them understand how the migration affects their work.
  • Enhance productivity: With precise and actionable migration insights, users can focus on their core tasks, eliminating the need for time-consuming guesswork or confusion.

Through this feature, we’re committed to making migrations simpler, more efficient, and fully transparent for our users.

Release Information​

The Migration Report will debut with the 11.10 release, planned for January 20, 2025.