Why We Stopped Counting on Shared Config When Switching AI Dev Tools

TL;DR: We now preserve tool transitions in vendor-neutral config files so migrations stop costing days of rework.

The Context

We run internal agent pipelines across three teams. Two months ago we switched a primary generation tool and discovered every workflow’s context, rate-limit logic, and fallback behavior lived inside the vendor’s proprietary config format.

What We Tested

Tool / Approach	Use Case	Verdict	Why
Current stack with documented handoffs	Internal agent pipelines	✅	We can change cost tiers without rebuilding
Lock-in-heavy tool without export paths	Same pipeline	❌	Migration needed full context rewrite

The Pivot Point

A morning incident became an all-day rewrite when we discovered the previous vendor didn’t expose task-state or prompt templates. That single blind spot cost more than the tool saved.

What We Use Now

We run a migration-readiness check before adding any new vendor and maintain a migration manifest for every automation: dependencies, contexts, failure modes, and expectations.

When You’d Choose Differently

If your deployment is standardized and unlikely to change for three years, lock-in is a minor cost. We operate on shorter horizons.

Tool Crucible Rating

7 / 10 — Overall 7 / 10 — Ease 7 / 10 — Value 7 / 10 — Support

---

This is part of our AI dev tools evaluation series. See full comparison: [link]