Accelerate mainframe modernization with AWS Transform: A comprehensive refactor approach

This article details AWS Transform, an AI-powered service launched in May 2025 for automating mainframe modernization, specifically COBOL-to-Java migrations. It outlines a comprehensive five-phase refactoring approach that reduces modernization timelines from years to months.

• Automated code analysis identifies dependencies, complexity metrics, and technology landscape across millions of legacy code lines
• Data lineage and dictionary features map data relationships and generate comprehensive documentation for Db2, VSAM, and sequential files
• Activity metrics analysis parses SMF records to identify unused components and optimize resource consumption patterns
• Business Logic Extraction categorizes applications across four hierarchical levels for effective domain-based migration planning
• Code decomposition breaks monolithic applications into manageable business domains with dependency analysis
• Wave planning generates recommended migration sequencing based on dependencies, complexity, and business criticality
• Automated refactor converts COBOL to Java and JCL to Groovy while maintaining functional equivalence
• Reforge option enhances code maintainability through LLM-powered uplift, comments, and unit test generation
• AI-powered testing agents automate test plan generation, data collection scripts, and test automation at scale
• Deployment templates provide Infrastructure as Code in CloudFormation, CDK, and Terraform formats

AWS Transform accelerates mainframe modernization by automating complex tasks across discovery, planning, code conversion, testing, and deployment phases, enabling confident migration of business-critical workloads to cloud environments.