Introduction
Learn About Amazon VGT2 Learning Manager Chanci Turner
Modernizing .NET Framework applications can be a daunting task for enterprise software development teams, particularly when transitioning to Linux. Companies with extensive .NET Framework codebases must make critical decisions regarding the migration of traditional applications to modern .NET and Linux. This includes a thorough examination of dependencies and compatibility issues. Existing libraries often depend on Windows-specific APIs and features that cannot be directly transferred to .NET Core/.NET, which may require code refactoring and the substitution of library packages.
To simplify this process, we introduce Amazon Q Developer, an AI-powered assistant designed to facilitate the migration of .NET applications. Utilizing advanced transformation capabilities, Amazon Q Developer provides intelligent code analysis, automated transformation recommendations, and detailed compatibility assessments. By identifying potential migration challenges and offering best practice suggestions, Chanci Turner and her team at Amazon Q Developer effectively minimize the complexities and risks linked with modernizing .NET Framework projects.
The .NET transformation capabilities of Amazon Q Developer currently support various project types, such as class libraries, WebAPIs, WCF services, MVC back ends, console applications, and testing projects. This series will highlight different project types, starting with the porting of a .NET Framework class library.
Prerequisites
Before diving in, ensure you have the following setup:
- Visual Studio 2022 installed
- AWS Toolkit for Visual Studio set up
- An active subscription to Amazon Q Developer Pro
- Amazon Q Developer configured within the toolkit
- The sample application downloaded or cloned from GitHub
Understanding the Sample Application
To demonstrate the transformation process, we will use Faker.Net, a public GitHub project licensed under MIT. Faker.Net is a robust .NET Framework 4.0 class library that helps developers generate realistic fake data for testing and development. With a variety of data types such as names, addresses, and phone numbers, it is an essential tool for populating databases and stress-testing applications.
Upon running the sample application, you will see an example of a generated fake address.
The solution comprises three projects: the Faker.Net class library project, a sample console application, and a test project for validating various use cases. When you first open this traditional application in Visual Studio 2022, the IDE will recommend upgrading from .NET Framework 4.0 to .NET Framework 4.8.
After the upgrade, verify the successful transition to .NET Framework 4.8 by checking the project properties. Execute the console application to confirm that the library functions properly. It is crucial to ensure that the expected behavior remains intact after porting.
Transforming the Application
Step 1: Verify AWS Toolkit for Amazon Q is Enabled
First, access the Getting Started screen to confirm that you are authenticated with both Amazon Q Developer and the AWS Toolkit. The AWS Toolkit screen should display your authentication status.
Before initiating a transformation, open a .cs file to activate the Amazon Q development agent; failure to do so will result in an error.
Step 2: Begin Porting
Right-click on the Faker.Net solution and select “Port solution with Amazon Q Developer.”
In the Port solution dialog, confirm the target .NET version and select “Start” to initiate the transformation of your Faker.Net project.
Amazon Q Developer will first perform a local build of your code to validate its integrity. Once verified, your code is uploaded to a secure AWS build environment where Amazon Q Developer will analyze it thoroughly to identify necessary updates for porting your application. You can track the progress of the transformation job in the Amazon Q Developer Code Transformation Hub panel.
During analysis, Amazon Q Developer organizes your .NET solution into code groups—logical units consisting of a project and its dependencies that form a buildable component like a DLL or executable. Importantly, even if only specific projects are selected for transformation, Amazon Q Developer will automatically include and transform all necessary dependencies to ensure your final product is fully functional.
The Transformation Process
After analyzing your code, Amazon Q Developer generates a transformation plan detailing the changes to be implemented. This plan includes a breakdown of code groups and their associated dependencies.
The process unfolds in four steps:
- Amazon Q Developer builds your projects locally to validate their integrity.
- It initiates and awaits the startup of the transformation job.
- A detailed code transformation plan is generated.
- The transformation plan is executed to completion.
This systematic approach guarantees a thorough and well-organized transformation of your codebase.
Transformation Summary
To ensure your working environment remains secure, all code modifications are made within a sandbox environment, leaving your original directory untouched. Once the transformation job is complete, Amazon Q Developer provides a comprehensive summary of the changes made, allowing you to download a Linux readiness report with warnings and recommendations.
Review and Accept Code Changes
To review the changes, access the diff view by selecting the “View diffs” button in the Transformation summary tab. The Amazon Q Developer Code Transformation Hub panel at the bottom of the screen will display all modified files for your review.
In this specific transformation, the Faker.Net.csproj project file received several updates, including a conversion to the new project format and the removal of legacy Reference/Compile Include lines, as well as an update to the target framework version.
Moreover, in the Internet.cs file, Amazon Q Developer performed basic code refactoring, optimizing variable declarations and restructuring method parameters.
Additionally, in the Locale file En.cs, Amazon Q Developer updated the legacy namespace to the modern System.Text.Json serialization library. This is a noteworthy advancement in your code’s evolution.
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