Bob

Bob, built by IBM, is an AI development assistant that works alongside developers in their codebase to build, modernize, and secure applications, with particular strength in enterprise legacy systems (RPG, COBOL, and Java). Its agent-based architecture spawns focused agents and subagents that work in parallel on different tasks, "Literate Coding" converts natural-language explanations directly into code implementations, "Bob Shell" extends functionality from the IDE into CI/CD pipelines, and "Bobalytics" provides analytics tracking agent contributions and business impact. Purpose-built modes exist for Java upgrades, mainframe, and IBM i development, with built-in guardrails including approval workflows and a refusal to fabricate answers on uncertain topics. A free trial is available; full pricing is on a separate page. Enterprise integrations with Red Hat and Instana support IBM's existing customer ecosystem. Good fit for an enterprise with legacy RPG, COBOL, or mainframe systems that wants AI-assisted modernization from a vendor with deep experience in exactly that domain.