IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Z vs. IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed

Legacy applications can sprawl over years of development. I've witnessed the struggle to maintain ageing COBOL applications. Watsonx can automate repetitive tasks like generating boilerplate code or basic functionalities and it understands the code and then refactors it and even translates it to Java to migrate applications to a more modern language. It also can automatically generate basic test cases, accelerating the development cycle and as a force multiplier.

Incentivized

• It can automatically revamp specific parts of the COBOL code and very useful when we want to maintain the existing codebase but improve its structure. I can highlight a block of COBOL code and use Watsonx Assistant to suggest ways to simplify and optimize it.
• Legacy codes, mostly written in COBOL, are cryptic and difficult to understand. Watsonx Assistant analyzes the code and provides insights into its functionalities and dependencies. A great help when working on older applications where understanding the codebase is crucial.
• A step-by-step approach to modernize our applications slowly and steadily, so that we can control the process better. I don't have to change everything at once. Instead, I can focus on specific COBOL modules and automatically convert them to Java.

Incentivized

• It would be better if it could handle complex logic and reorganize critical code more effectively. Like any modernization tool, WatsonX Code Assistant for Z also finds it hard to deal with complicated and highly customized code structures.
• A simpler and easy to use interface will surely help developers of all skill levels especially, for those who are new to the tool and want to use it more easily and effectively. UI needs an uplift and refinement. I think it's a bit complicated to use right now.
• There's already an extension available for Visual Studio Code. If we can integrate it with other commonly used IDEs for mainframe development and with version control systems like Git, it will be really helpful for developers. They can easily track changes suggested by the assistant.

Incentivized

Security is very important in the mainframe world. At Watsonx, we work in the trusted Z environment, which has strong security rules, stricter than those of other cloud-based solutions. My domain is primarily mainframe modernization and Watsonx Code Assistant for Z is specifically used to understand and work with COBOL, the language used majorly in mainframe environments, not any general-purpose language that used in various platforms. It understands the nuances of COBOL and Assembler specific to the Z environment, something crucial for my work.

Incentivized

• While manual review and adjustments are still needed, it's a 50-70% reduction in manual coding. Think about it - a project estimated to take a year is done in 4-6 months.
• We've been able to introduce new features and improvements more quickly by updating our technology faster. One relevant example is we recently released an important update to our main product 45 days earlier than planned.
• It has been a smart move and it's really paid off for our company. We've cut down a lot of time we used to spend doing things manually. We now spend our resources more wisely, work faster and finish projects sooner and as a result, we've reduced our development costs by 25%.

Incentivized