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 Before doing anything else, confirm that every file listed in this skill's frontmatter `references:` field exists at its relative path from this SKILL.md. If any are missing, stop — the install is incomplete. This usually means a third-party installer (for example `npx skills install`) flattened the skill into a standalone folder and dropped the repo-root `knowledge-notes/` directory this skill depends on. Tell the user to reinstall using a supported method from `1-INSTALL.md` (git clone, or the `.plugin` bundle in Cowork) and to run `verify-install.sh` from the install root to confirm the fix. Only proceed without the references if the user explicitly says to — and if they do, state clearly in your output that it was produced in degraded mode 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, ...