The GitHub Copilot modernization agent is a new capability (currently in public preview) that helps teams transform legacy applications so they are cloud- and AI-ready.

Embedded directly where developers already work, the agent can:

• Run code assessments on existing applications
• Propose customized modernization plans for each app
• Execute framework and runtime upgrades
• Deploy updated applications directly to Microsoft Azure

Developers stay “in the driver’s seat” throughout the process, using the agent as an assistant to speed up analysis, planning, and implementation rather than replacing engineering judgment.

The modernization agent is designed to help teams rethink modernization at portfolio scale, not just app by app.

It acts as an orchestrator that can:

• Run multiple code assessments simultaneously across different applications
• Generate a unique modernization plan for each application based on its specific codebase and requirements
• Execute those plans with automated framework and runtime upgrades

This orchestration approach helps organizations move from one-off modernization projects to a more systematic, repeatable process that can be applied across many applications in parallel.

Microsoft is introducing new agentic capabilities in both Azure Copilot and GitHub Copilot that are designed to work together for modernization scenarios.

At a high level:

• GitHub Copilot focuses on the developer experience—code assessments, modernization plans, and automated upgrades directly in the development environment.
• Azure Copilot complements this on the cloud side, helping teams deploy and operate modernized applications on Azure with scale and control in mind.

Combined, they help organizations reimagine their modernization workflow from code to cloud, with agents that support both the application code changes and the deployment into Azure, while keeping governance and control in focus.