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IBM Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z: A New Tool for Modernizing COBOL Applications

Aug 22, 2023

IBM Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z: A New Tool for Modernizing COBOL Applications (Related Tweet)

IBM recently announced Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z, a new tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help developers modernize COBOL applications. The tool can translate COBOL code into Java, making it easier to maintain and update COBOL applications on modern platforms.

Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z is still in development, but it is scheduled for general availability in Q4 2023. The tool is available for early access through IBM's Beta program.

How Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z Works

Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z uses a code-generating AI model to translate COBOL code into Java. The model is trained on a large corpus of COBOL and Java code. When a developer provides COBOL code to the tool, the model generates Java code that is equivalent to the COBOL code.

The tool also provides a number of features to help developers review and modify the generated Java code. These features include syntax highlighting, error checking, and code completion.

Benefits of Using Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z

Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z can help developers to:

  • Modernize COBOL applications more quickly and easily

  • Reduce the cost of maintaining COBOL applications

  • Improve the security and reliability of COBOL applications

  • Make COBOL applications more portable to modern platforms

The Future of COBOL Modernization

COBOL is a legacy programming language that is still widely used in mainframe applications. However, COBOL is a complex language that can be difficult to maintain and update.

Watsonx Code Assistant for IBM Z is one of a number of tools that are being developed to help developers modernize COBOL applications. These tools can help to make COBOL applications more maintainable, portable, and secure.

As the demand for COBOL modernization continues to grow, we can expect to see even more tools and technologies that can help developers to modernize their COBOL applications.