Modernizing a simple C++ application to Java with GitLab Duo

Memory unsafe languages like C and C++ require manual memory management, which can lead to memory leaks if not done correctly. Many organizations have applications written in these languages and are looking to modernize them to memory safe languages like Java, Python, JavaScript, or Golang. This tutorial demonstrates how to modernize a simple C++ application to Java using GitLab Duo, a suite of AI capabilities. The C++ application takes a US zip code as input and returns the air quality index for that zip code. To understand the application, GitLab Duo Code explanation is used to provide a detailed description of what each function does. The application is then compiled and run to confirm it works correctly. The application is then refactored to Java using GitLab Duo Chat and its refactoring capabilities. The resulting Java files, including a pom.xml file, are generated and saved to a local directory. The Java application is then built and run using Maven, with GitLab Duo Chat providing guidance on how to do so. The modernized Java application runs successfully, demonstrating the power of GitLab Duo in modernization activities.