deprecation-process
Deprecation process
A skill for planning and executing the deprecation of components, tokens, or patterns in a design system. Produces a deprecation plan with timeline, consumer communication, and migration guidance.
Before you begin: verify references
Confirm that every path in this skill's frontmatter references: exists relative to this SKILL.md. If any is missing, stop: the install is incomplete, usually because a flattening installer (for example npx skills install) dropped the repo-root knowledge-notes/ directory. Tell the user to reinstall by a method in 1-INSTALL.md and run verify-install.sh from the install root. Proceed without the references only if the user explicitly says to, and then say in the output that it was produced without the pack's reference material.
Context
Deprecation is the maintenance work that never gets prioritised until it becomes a crisis. Components accumulate. Tokens multiply. Patterns fork. The longer a team waits to deprecate, the more existing usage entrenches, and the more a removal feels disruptive rather than healthy.
A deprecation done well is a contract with consumers: clear notice, a migration path, and a credible timeline. A deprecation done badly is a surprise, and it erodes trust in the system faster than almost anything else.
This skill produces a deprecation plan that is honest about the timeline, specific about migration, and structured to communicate clearly to the teams affected.