Microsoft Introduces New Code Modernization Features for GitHub Copilot and Azure Migrate

Microsoft has announced updates to its GitHub Copilot and Azure Migrate services, introducing new features designed to help businesses modernize legacy applications.

The enhancements are being released alongside a professional services offering called Azure Accelerate. Similar to the feature upgrades, this service focuses on accelerating application modernization.

Programming languages and development tools occasionally undergo significant changes. When such major updates occur in software, dependent applications must be modified to prevent errors. According to Microsoft, the new capabilities in GitHub Copilot will make it easier for developers to implement these changes.

The new features primarily target .NET and Java, two widely adopted application development toolkits. When developers upgrade applications to a new version of .NET or Java containing breaking changes, GitHub Copilot can detect and highlight potential issues. The coding assistant then uses artificial intelligence to generate suggested fixes.

Microsoft states that GitHub Copilot not only resolves breaking changes within company applications but also addresses issues in their dependencies—external software components required for an application to run. Additionally, the tool checks modified code for potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The enhancements also include features that help businesses migrate workloads to Azure.

One of the most challenging aspects of cloud migration is replacing dependencies of the workload being migrated. For instance, developers might need to transition an application from an on-premises MySQL database to an Azure SQL instance. According to Microsoft, GitHub Copilot can automatically identify and map dependencies that need modification during the Azure migration process.

After necessary dependency changes are made, the tool runs a series of tests to ensure everything functions correctly. It verifies the availability of all application features and checks for cybersecurity issues. Then, GitHub Copilot packages the code into a convenient container ready for cloud deployment.

Another update announced by Microsoft today also supports customers migrating workloads to Azure. This update will be integrated into the company’s Azure Migrate service. The service analyzes on-premises applications, identifies necessary changes before cloud migration, and estimates associated costs.

Additional AI-powered features will automate various tasks involved in cloud migration. There is also a new integration with GitHub Copilot aimed at streamlining collaboration between IT teams using Azure Migrate and developers using GitHub Copilot.

The tool has also expanded its compatibility and now works with open-source PostgreSQL databases and popular Linux distributions.

Alongside these product updates, Microsoft has launched a professional services offering called Azure Accelerate. This program gives customers the opportunity to collaborate directly with Microsoft engineers to migrate SQL Server databases, virtual desktops, and other workloads to Azure.

All new GitHub Copilot features are now generally available, except for the .NET application modernization functionality, which remains in public preview. The enhanced features of Azure Migrate are also currently in preview.