microsoft/modernize-cli

microsoft/modernize-cli

Description: modernize cli releases, tutorials, issues

Language: Shell

License: NOASSERTION

Stars: 19

Forks: 4

Open issues: 5

Created: 2026-01-27T05:50:13Z

Pushed: 2026-06-17T04:26:41Z

Default branch: main

Fork: no

Archived: no

README:

GitHub Copilot modernization CLI

What is GitHub Copilot modernization CLI?

GitHub Copilot modernization provides AI-powered capabilities to help users modernize Java and .NET applications easily and confidently.

Organizations modernizing multiple applications need consistency, repeatability, and the ability to define standards that apply across every dev team and repository. The GitHub Copilot Modernization Agent is built for these requirements.

Delivered through the Modernize CLI, the modernization agent enables agentic, end-to-end application modernization through intelligent workflow orchestration. It provides architects and app owners with a platform to define modernization standards once - via customizable, reusable skills - and apply them consistently across multiple applications and repositories. It offers a unified CLI and TUI experience for hands-on modernization of individual applications.

Learn More

For detailed documentation, tutorials, and additional resources, visit the GitHub Copilot Modernization Agent documentation.

🖥️ Supported Platforms

• Windows (x64, ARM64)
• Linux (x64, ARM64)
• macOS (Apple Silicon, Intel)

🔧 Prerequisites

Minimum requirements:

• Git
• GitHub CLI (gh) v2.45.0 or later
• GitHub Copilot subscription with Free, Pro, Pro+, Business and Enterprise plans, See Copilot plans.

Installation

Linux / macOS

Option 1 — Homebrew:

brew tap microsoft/modernize https://github.com/microsoft/modernize-cli
brew install modernize

Option 2 — Shell script:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/modernize-cli/main/scripts/install.sh | sh

The script automatically downloads the latest release, install the modernize bundle to ~/.local/share/modernize, place the modernize command in ~/.local/bin, and add the command directory to your PATH.

> [!TIP] > To install the latest prerelease instead, append --prerelease: > curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/modernize-cli/main/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- --prerelease

After installation, reload your shell profile to apply the PATH update:

source ~/.bashrc # or source ~/.zshrc for Zsh

> [!NOTE] > For Linux users: Requires glibc 2.27+ (Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, Fedora 29+, Azure Linux 2.0+).

Windows

Option 1 — Winget:

winget install GitHub.Copilot.modernization.agent

For silent installation (no prompts):

winget install GitHub.Copilot.modernization.agent --silent

Option 2 — PowerShell one-liner:

iex (irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/modernize-cli/main/scripts/install.ps1)

> [!TIP] > To install the latest prerelease instead, run with -Prerelease: > & ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/modernize-cli/main/scripts/install.ps1))) -Prerelease

Option 3 — MSI installer:

Download and run the latest MSI from the Releases page.

All three options place the modernize command in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\modernize and add it to your PATH automatically.

> [!NOTE] > After installation, open a new terminal for the modernize command to be available on your PATH.

---

Use the interactive mode

The easiest way to get started is using the interactive mode. First, authenticate with the GitHub CLI:

gh auth login

Then, run the modernization agent:

modernize

You'll be guided through the end-to-end modernization experience via the main menu:

○ What would you like to do?

> 1. Assess
Analyze your source application and generate an assessment report
2. Plan
Create a modernization plan based on assessment findings
3. Execute
Run tasks defined in your modernization plan
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
4. Upgrade
Upgrade your runtime and frameworks to the latest versions

Commands

Global options

All commands support these global options:

| Option | Description | |--------|-------------| | --help, -h | Display help information | | --no-tty | Disable interactive prompts (headless mode) |

assess

Runs assessment and generates a comprehensive analysis report.

Syntax

modernize assess [options]

Options

| Option | Description | Default | |--------|-------------|---------| | --source | A directory path or Git URL (HTTPS or SSH). Repeatable for multiple repositories. | None | | --output-path | Custom output path for assessment results | .github/modernize/assessment/ | | --issue-url | GitHub issue URL to update with assessment summary | None | | --assess-config | Path to assessment configuration YAML file for customizing analysis parameters. Auto-discovered from .github/modernize/assessment/reports/assessment-config.yaml if not specified. | None | | --format | Output format for assessment reports: html or markdown | html | | --model | LLM model to use | claude-sonnet-4.6 | | --delegate | Execution mode: local (this machine) or cloud (Cloud Coding Agent) | local | | --wait | Wait for delegated tasks to complete and generate results (only valid with --delegate cloud) | Disabled | | --force | Force restart delegation, ignoring ongoing tasks (only valid with --delegate cloud) | Disabled |

> [!NOTE] > --multi-repo is deprecated. Use repeatable --source to specify multiple repositories instead.

Examples

Basic assessment of current directory:

modernize assess

Assess with custom output location:

modernize assess --output-path ./reports/assessment

Assess and update GitHub issue with results:

modernize assess --issue-url https://github.com/org/repo/issues/123

Assess specific project directory:

modernize assess --source /path/to/project

Assess a remote Git repository:...