Every mature codebase carries history and technical debt. The challenge is modernizing without stopping the world or introducing big re-write failure risks.
In this talk, we’ll explore how to modernize legacy C++ codebases incrementally using a mix of
deterministic code transformations and
AI-assisted refactoring .
After delving into some of the common problems with legacy modernization, we'll start tackling the simple "boring" stuff that deliver huge leverage of changes via
clang tooling . These represent repeatable,
deterministic reviewable upgrades that can be automated and applied at scale.
Then we can look at more difficult transformations that can be
AI assisted with more aggressive transformations including API improvements and how to prevent it going off the rails. This will be backed by Compiler diagnostics, static analysis and testing to keep changes
maintainable and correct .
The goal is not to replace engineering judgment, but to accelerate it: turning modernization into a continuous, low-risk workflow instead of a disruptive project.
Attendees will leave with a repeatable playbook for
modernizing legacy codebases incrementally, safely, and at scale—using the right tool for each class of change
Tooling Track sessions are sponsored by Optiver.
