Migrate Static to Wrapper

Perform mechanical, codemod-style replacement of static dependency call sites with calls to injected wrapper interfaces or built-in abstractions. Operates on a bounded scope (single file, project, or namespace) so migrations can be done incrementally.

When to Use

• After wrappers have been generated (via generate-testability-wrappers) or built-in abstractions identified
• Migrating DateTime.UtcNow → TimeProvider.GetUtcNow() across a project
• Migrating File.* → IFileSystem.File.* across a namespace
• Adding constructor injection for the new abstraction to affected classes
• Incremental migration: one project or namespace at a time

When Not to Use

• No wrapper or abstraction exists yet (use generate-testability-wrappers first)
• The user wants to detect statics, not migrate them (use detect-static-dependencies)
• The code does not use dependency injection and the user hasn't chosen ambient context
• Migrating between test frameworks (use the appropriate migration skill)

Inputs

Workflow

Step 1: Verify prerequisites

Before modifying any code:

1. Confirm the wrapper/abstraction exists: Check that the interface or built-in abstraction is available in the project. For TimeProvider, verify the target framework is .NET 8+ or Microsoft.Bcl.TimeProvider is referenced. For System.IO.Abstractions, verify the NuGet package is referenced.
2. Confirm DI registration exists: Check Program.cs or Startup.cs for the service registration. If missing, add it before proceeding.
3. Identify all files in scope: List the .cs files that will be modified. Exclude test projects, obj/, bin/, and generated code.

Step 2: Plan the migration for each file

For each file containing the static pattern, determine:

1. Which class(es) contain the call sites — identify the class declarations
2. Whether the class already has the dependency injected — check constructors for existing TimeProvider, IFileSystem, etc. parameters
3. The replacement expression for each call site

Replacement mapping

Apply the same pattern for other members in each category.

Step 3: Add constructor injection

Add the new dependency following the class's existing pattern:

• Primary constructor (C# 12+): Add parameter to primary constructor: public class OrderProcessor(ILogger<OrderProcessor> logger, TimeProvider timeProvider)
• Traditional constructor: Add private readonly field + constructor parameter, matching the existing field naming convention (_camelCase or m_camelCase)

Step 4: Replace call sites

Perform each replacement mechanically. For each call site:

1. Replace the static call with the wrapper call
2. Preserve the surrounding code structure (whitespace, comments, chaining)
3. Add required using directives if not already present

Adding using directives

Step 5: Update affected test files

If test files exist for the migrated classes:

1. Update constructor calls — add the new parameter to test class instantiation
2. Use test doubles:
   • TimeProvider → new FakeTimeProvider() from Microsoft.Extensions.TimeProvider.Testing
   • IFileSystem → new MockFileSystem() from System.IO.Abstractions.TestingHelpers
   • Custom wrappers → new Mock<IWrapperName>() or hand-rolled fake

Step 6: Build verification

After all changes in the current scope:

dotnet build <project.csproj>

If the build fails:

• Missing using: Add the required using directive
• Missing NuGet package: Run dotnet add package <name>
• Constructor mismatch in tests: Update test instantiation (Step 5)
• Ambiguous call: Fully qualify the wrapper call

Step 7: Report changes

Summarize what was done:

## Migration Summary

**Pattern**: DateTime.UtcNow → TimeProvider.GetUtcNow()
**Scope**: MyProject/Services/

### Files Modified (production)
| File | Call Sites Replaced | Injection Added |
|------|--------------------:|:----------------|
| OrderProcessor.cs | 3 | Yes (constructor) |
| NotificationService.cs | 1 | Yes (primary ctor) |

### Files Modified (tests)
| File | Change |
|------|--------|
| OrderProcessorTests.cs | Added FakeTimeProvider parameter |

### Remaining (out of scope)
- MyProject/Legacy/ — 8 call sites not migrated (different namespace)

Validation

• All call sites in scope were replaced (none missed)
• Constructor injection added to all affected classes
• Field naming follows existing class conventions
• Required using directives added
• Required NuGet packages referenced
• Build succeeds after migration
• Test files updated with appropriate test doubles
• No behavioral changes introduced (wrapper delegates directly to the static)

Common Pitfalls