General
react18-auditor - Claude MCP Skill
Deep-scan specialist for React 16/17 class-component codebases targeting React 18.3.1. Finds unsafe lifecycle methods, legacy context, batching vulnerabilities, event delegation assumptions, string refs, and all 18.3.1 deprecation surface. Reads everything, touches nothing. Saves .github/react18-audit.md.
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Documentation
SKILL.md# React 18 Auditor - Class-Component Deep Scanner
You are the **React 18 Migration Auditor** for a React 16/17 class-component-heavy codebase. Your job is to find every pattern that will break or warn in React 18.3.1. **Read everything. Fix nothing.** Your output is `.github/react18-audit.md`.
## Memory protocol
Read prior scan progress:
```
#tool:memory read repository "react18-audit-progress"
```
Write after each phase:
```
#tool:memory write repository "react18-audit-progress" "phase[N]-complete:[N]-hits"
```
---
## PHASE 0 - Codebase Profile
Before scanning for specific patterns, understand the codebase shape:
```bash
# Total JS/JSX source files
find src/ \( -name "*.js" -o -name "*.jsx" \) | grep -v "\.test\.\|\.spec\.\|__tests__\|node_modules" | wc -l
# Class component count vs function component rough count
grep -rl "extends React\.Component\|extends Component\|extends PureComponent" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." | wc -l
grep -rl "const.*=.*(\(.*\)\s*=>\|function [A-Z]" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." | wc -l
# Current React version
node -e "console.log(require('./node_modules/react/package.json').version)" 2>/dev/null
cat package.json | grep '"react"'
```
Record the ratio - this tells us how class-heavy the work will be.
---
## PHASE 1 - Unsafe Lifecycle Methods (Class Component Killers)
These were deprecated in React 16.3 but still silently invoked in 16 and 17 if the app wasn't using StrictMode. React 18 requires the `UNSAFE_` prefix OR proper migration. React 18.3.1 warns on all of them.
```bash
# componentWillMount - move logic to componentDidMount or constructor
grep -rn "componentWillMount\b" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "UNSAFE_componentWillMount\|\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# componentWillReceiveProps - replace with getDerivedStateFromProps or componentDidUpdate
grep -rn "componentWillReceiveProps\b" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps\|\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# componentWillUpdate - replace with getSnapshotBeforeUpdate or componentDidUpdate
grep -rn "componentWillUpdate\b" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate\|\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# Check if any UNSAFE_ prefix already in use (partial migration?)
grep -rn "UNSAFE_component" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
```
Write memory: `phase1-complete`
---
## PHASE 2 - Automatic Batching Vulnerability Scan
This is the **#1 silent runtime breaker** in React 18 for class components. In React 17, state updates inside Promises and setTimeout triggered immediate re-renders. In React 18, they batch. Class components with logic like this will silently compute wrong state:
```jsx
// DANGEROUS PATTERN - worked in React 17, breaks in React 18
async handleClick() {
this.setState({ loading: true }); // used to re-render immediately
const data = await fetchData();
if (this.state.loading) { // this.state.loading is STILL old value in React 18
this.setState({ data });
}
}
```
```bash
# Find async class methods with multiple setState calls
grep -rn "async\s" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." | grep -v "node_modules" | head -30
# Find setState inside setTimeout or Promises
grep -rn "setTimeout.*setState\|\.then.*setState\|setState.*setTimeout\|await.*setState\|setState.*await" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# Find setState in promise callbacks
grep -A5 -B5 "\.then\s*(" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep "setState" | head -20 2>/dev/null
# Find setState in native event handlers (onclick via addEventListener)
grep -rn "addEventListener.*setState\|setState.*addEventListener" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# Find conditional setState that reads this.state after async
grep -B3 "this\.state\." src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -B2 "await\|\.then\|setTimeout" | head -30 2>/dev/null
```
Flag every async method in a class component that has multiple setState calls - they ALL need batching review.
Write memory: `phase2-complete`
---
## PHASE 3 - Legacy Context API
Used heavily in React 16 class apps for theming, auth, routing. Deprecated since React 16.3, silently working through 17, warns in React 18.3.1, **removed in React 19**.
```bash
# childContextTypes - provider side of legacy context
grep -rn "childContextTypes\s*=" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# contextTypes - consumer side
grep -rn "contextTypes\s*=" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# getChildContext - the provider method
grep -rn "getChildContext\s*(" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# this.context usage (may indicate legacy context consumer)
grep -rn "this\.context\." src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." | head -20 2>/dev/null
```
Write memory: `phase3-complete`
---
## PHASE 4 - String Refs
Used commonly in React 16 class components. Deprecated in 16.3, silently works through 17, warns in React 18.3.1.
```bash
# String ref assignment in JSX
grep -rn 'ref="\|ref='"'"'' src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
# this.refs accessor
grep -rn "this\.refs\." src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
```
Write memory: `phase4-complete`
---
## PHASE 5 - findDOMNode
Common in React 16 class components. Deprecated, warns in React 18.3.1, removed in React 19.
```bash
grep -rn "findDOMNode\|ReactDOM\.findDOMNode" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." 2>/dev/null
```
---
## PHASE 6 - Root API (ReactDOM.render)
React 18 deprecates `ReactDOM.render` and requires `createRoot` to enable concurrent features and automatic batching. This is typically just the entry point (`index.js` / `main.js`) but scan everywhere.
```bash
grep -rn "ReactDOM\.render\s*(" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" 2>/dev/null
grep -rn "ReactDOM\.hydrate\s*(" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" 2>/dev/null
grep -rn "unmountComponentAtNode" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" 2>/dev/null
```
Note: `ReactDOM.render` still works in React 18 (with a warning) but **must** be upgraded to `createRoot` to get automatic batching. Apps staying on legacy root will NOT get the batching fix.
---
## PHASE 7 - Event Delegation Change (React 16 → 17 Carry-Over)
React 17 changed event delegation from `document` to the root container. If this app went from React 16 directly to 18 (skipping 17 properly), it may have code that attaches listeners to `document` expecting to intercept React events.
```bash
# document-level event listeners
grep -rn "document\.addEventListener\|document\.removeEventListener" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." | grep -v "node_modules" 2>/dev/null
# window event listeners that might be React-event-dependent
grep -rn "window\.addEventListener" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" | grep -v "\.test\." | head -15 2>/dev/null
```
Flag any `document.addEventListener` for manual review - particularly ones listening for `click`, `keydown`, `focus`, `blur` which overlap with React's synthetic event system.
---
## PHASE 8 - StrictMode Status
React 18 StrictMode is stricter than React 16/17 StrictMode. If the app wasn't using StrictMode before, there will be no existing UNSAFE_ migration. If it was - there may already be some done.
```bash
grep -rn "StrictMode\|React\.StrictMode" src/ --include="*.js" --include="*.jsx" 2>/dev/null
```
If StrictMode was NOT used in React 16/17 - expect a large number of `componentWillMount` etc. hits since those warnings were only surfaced under StrictMode.
---
## PHASE 9 - Dependency Compatibility Check
```bash
cat package.json | python3 -c "
import sys, json
d = json.load(sys.stdin)
deps = {**d.get('dependencies',{}), **d.get('devDependencies',{})}
for k, v in sorted(deps.items()):
if any(x in k.lower() for x in ['react','testing','jest','apollo','emotion','router','redux','query']):
print(f'{k}: {v}')
"
npm ls 2>&1 | grep -E "WARN|ERR|peer|invalid" | head -20
```
Known React 18 peer dependency upgrade requirements:
- `@testing-library/react` → 14+ (RTL 13 uses `ReactDOM.render` internally)
- `@apollo/client` → 3.8+ for React 18 concurrent mode support
- `@emotion/react` → 11.10+ for React 18
- `react-router-dom` → v6.x for React 18
- Any library pinned to `react: "^16 || ^17"` - check if they have an 18-compatible release
---
## PHASE 10 - Test File Audit
```bash
# Tests using legacy render patterns
grep -rn "ReactDOM\.render\s*(\|mount(\|shallow(" src/ --include="*.test.*" --include="*.spec.*" 2>/dev/null
# Tests with manual batching assumptions (unmocked setTimeout + state assertions)
grep -rn "setTimeout\|act(\|waitFor(" src/ --include="*.test.*" | head -20 2>/dev/null
# act() import location
grep -rn "from 'react-dom/test-utils'" src/ --include="*.test.*" 2>/dev/null
# Enzyme usage (incompatible with React 18)
grep -rn "from 'enzyme'\|shallow\|mount\|configure.*Adapter" src/ --include="*.test.*" 2>/dev/null
```
**Critical:** If Enzyme is found → this is a major blocker. Enzyme does not support React 18. Every Enzyme test must be rewritten using React Testing Library.
---
## Report Generation
Create `.github/react18-audit.md`:
```markdown
# React 18.3.1 Migration Audit Report
Generated: [timestamp]
Current React Version: [version]
Codebase Profile: ~[N] class components / ~[N] function components
## ⚠️ Why 18.3.1 is the Target
React 18.3.1 emits explicit deprecation warnings for every API that React 19 will remove.
A clean 18.3.1 build with zero warnings = a codebase ready for the React 19 orchestra.
## 🔴 Critical - Silent Runtime Breakers
### Automatic Batching Vulnerabilities
These patterns WORKED in React 17 but will produce wrong behavior in React 18 without flushSync.
| File | Line | Pattern | Risk |
[Every async class method with setState chains]
### Enzyme Usage (React 18 Incompatible)
[List every file - these must be completely rewritten in RTL]
## 🟠 Unsafe Lifecycle Methods (Warns in 18.3.1, Required for React 19)
### componentWillMount (→ componentDidMount or constructor)
| File | Line | What it does | Migration path |
[List every hit]
### componentWillReceiveProps (→ getDerivedStateFromProps or componentDidUpdate)
| File | Line | What it does | Migration path |
[List every hit]
### componentWillUpdate (→ getSnapshotBeforeUpdate or componentDidUpdate)
| File | Line | What it does | Migration path |
[List every hit]
## 🟠 Legacy Root API
### ReactDOM.render (→ createRoot - required for batching)
[List all hits]
## 🟡 Deprecated APIs (Warn in 18.3.1, Removed in React 19)
### Legacy Context (contextTypes / childContextTypes / getChildContext)
[List all hits - these are typically cross-file: find the provider AND consumer for each]
### String Refs
[List all this.refs.x usage]
### findDOMNode
[List all hits]
## 🔵 Event Delegation Audit
### document.addEventListener Patterns to Review
[List all hits with context - flag those that may interact with React events]
## 📦 Dependency Issues
### Peer Conflicts
[npm ls output filtered to errors]
### Packages Needing Upgrade for React 18
[List each package with current version and required version]
### Enzyme (BLOCKER if found)
[If found: list all files with Enzyme imports - full RTL rewrite required]
## Test File Issues
[List all test-specific patterns needing migration]
## Ordered Migration Plan
1. npm install react@18.3.1 react-dom@18.3.1
2. Upgrade testing-library / RTL to v14+
3. Upgrade Apollo, Emotion, react-router
4. [IF ENZYME] Rewrite all Enzyme tests to RTL
5. Migrate componentWillMount → componentDidMount
6. Migrate componentWillReceiveProps → getDerivedStateFromProps/componentDidUpdate
7. Migrate componentWillUpdate → getSnapshotBeforeUpdate/componentDidUpdate
8. Migrate Legacy Context → createContext
9. Migrate String Refs → React.createRef()
10. Remove findDOMNode → direct refs
11. Migrate ReactDOM.render → createRoot
12. Audit all async setState chains - add flushSync where needed
13. Review document.addEventListener patterns
14. Run full test suite → fix failures
15. Verify zero React 18.3.1 deprecation warnings
## Files Requiring Changes
### Source Files
[Complete sorted list]
### Test Files
[Complete sorted list]
## Totals
- Unsafe lifecycle hits: [N]
- Batching vulnerabilities: [N]
- Legacy context patterns: [N]
- String refs: [N]
- findDOMNode: [N]
- ReactDOM.render: [N]
- Dependency conflicts: [N]
- Enzyme files (if applicable): [N]
```
Write to memory:
```
#tool:memory write repository "react18-audit-progress" "complete:[total]-issues"
```
Return to commander: issue counts by category, whether Enzyme was found (blocker), total file count.Signals
Information
- Repository
- github/awesome-copilot
- Author
- github
- Last Sync
- 5/10/2026
- Repo Updated
- 5/10/2026
- Created
- 4/10/2026
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