A core challenge in modernizing older legacy systems, such as those operating on the mainframe, is the inability to fully understand the existing code. This is often written in obsolete languages, lacking documentation, and maintained by a shrinking pool of subject matter experts (SMEs). The ReDuX AI-Powered Modernization Platform addresses this directly through its Blueprint process, code parsing and subsequent code refactoring agents. The result is high quality code written in modern equivalents.

The Problem: Opaque and Untranslatable Legacy Code

Modernization teams frequently face systems built on languages like COBOL, Software AG Natural, and VB6. Key pain points include:

• Missing Expertise and Documentation: Teams lack the institutional knowledge and documentation needed to accurately translate the codebase.
• Risk of Poor Translation: Because the applications are mission-critical, customers cannot afford the risk associated with poor, manual code translation or simple automated code conversion that doesn’t respect business logic.
• “Zombie Code” Threats: The codebases contain “dead weight code” that provides no function, “living dead code” that is dormant but can be activated, and “vulnerable dead code” in old libraries, which must be identified and eliminated.

The ReDuX Solution: AI-Driven Code Analysis and Refactoring

The ReDuX platform utilizes specialized AI agents to overcome these hurdles, accelerating the transition from legacy to cloud-native applications.

1. Blueprint Code Parsers (Discovery)

The process begins with the Blueprint Agents performing deep analysis of the legacy codebase:

• Syntax and Semantic Assessment: ReDuX engineers build specialized tools that assess the syntax and semantic structure of the legacy code. ReDuX provides a mature framework that allows for the addition of new parsers for languages like COBOL, Natural, and VB6.
• Comprehensive Insight Builds Trust: The agents ingest the code, along with other inputs like documentation and user demo videos, to provide a 360-degree view of the legacy system. Legacy SMEs may view system structure, understand user behavior, and identify relationships between key components. This builds trust in ReDuX’s assessment. These experts may also work with ReDuX engineers or prompt the system to further refine the analysis.
• Dead Code Identification: The blueprinting process identifies and helps eliminate the various forms of “zombie code,” ensuring only the necessary functionality is carried forward.

2. Code Generation (Refactoring to Modern Equivalents)

Once the system’s structure and behavior are fully mapped, the team can movement from the assess phase to the migrate and mobilize phases. As they build their migration roadmap, the development team can identify Transformation Agents that will convert the code. 

• Modern Equivalent Translation: The code parser works with the code generation agent to produce the code in a modern equivalent. For example, ReDuX has been used to translate VB6 code into .Net.
• Enhanced Capabilities: Beyond using AI agents for refactoring, the development team can also select purpose built agents that perform tasks including orchestration, pipeline automation and quality testing.
• Accelerated Delivery: This AI-assisted process generates high-quality, production-ready code that requires less rework, which can accelerate modernization four times faster and reduce costs by half.

Key Benefits of ReDuX Refactoring

Realize value: to learn more check out our modernization use cases. To get started today, book a demo with our team.