Written by Nathan de Balthasar, Software Engineer at TrackIt
Companies continue to rely on monolithic applications built with the .NET Framework. These systems are often deeply embedded in core operations and have remained in place for years or even decades.
However, maintaining these legacy applications poses significant challenges: complex and tightly coupled codebases, outdated APIs, high Windows hosting costs, and brittle build pipelines. Although transitioning to a modern, cross-platform version of .NET—such as .NET 8—offers greater flexibility and long-term efficiency, such initiatives are often deprioritized due to the time, risk, and resources involved.
A new path forward is now available: AWS Transform
Contents
Introducing AWS Transform
AWS Transform is an intelligent modernization tool that automates key steps in migrating legacy .NET applications. Through a web-based interface and an integrated AI assistant, it enables teams to:
- Connect source repositories (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket)
- Analyze .NET Framework projects
- Identify migration blockers and upgrade opportunities
- Automatically refactor code into a modern, cloud-ready structure
- Review and test changes on a dedicated branch
All actions take place within the AWS Management Console, supported by a conversational AI agent that understands the codebase and provides contextual guidance.
AWS Transform is currently available in the Europe (Frankfurt) and US East (N. Virginia) regions. It is free to use for AWS customers and supports .NET codebases written in .NET Framework 3.5, .NET Core 3.1, and .NET 5 and above.
More details are available in the AWS Transform User Guide.
Why Use AWS Transform?
Legacy .NET applications present a range of challenges:
- They are typically tied to Windows-based servers, which are more expensive to run and maintain in the cloud.
- Applying security patches and maintaining outdated libraries can be both risky and labor-intensive.
- Migrating to newer .NET versions manually is often a slow, error-prone, and costly process.
Modernizing to a cross-platform .NET architecture offers clear benefits:
- Lower hosting costs using Linux-based infrastructure
- Improved security posture with long-term support and frequent patches
- Access to modern DevOps tools, CI/CD pipelines, and containerization
- Seamless integration with AWS services like Lambda, ECS, and Fargate
These benefits are only realized when migration is technically and operationally feasible—precisely where AWS Transform delivers value.
How Does AWS Transform Work?
After connecting to a source repository, AWS Transform scans the codebase and automatically refactors projects to use modern .NET SDK styles. It can detect and migrate a range of application types, including:
- Class libraries
- Console applications
- ASP.NET Web APIs
- MVC applications (including Razor views)
- WCF services
- Unit tests (NUnit, xUnit, MSTest)
- Business logic layers of SPA backends
The tool also analyzes dependencies and recommends replacements for unsupported NuGet packages, including best-effort conversions for custom or third-party libraries without direct cross-platform equivalents.
AWS Transform works non-destructively. It creates a new Git branch with the refactored code, allowing teams to review, test, and validate updates before merging into production. Once AWS Transform completes the process, a modernized branch is ready for:
- Code review by development teams
- Integration and functional testing
- Containerization and CI/CD deployment, if required
- Hosting on Linux-based AWS services
While some manual adjustments may be required—especially for large or complex applications—AWS internal benchmarks indicate that the tool can eliminate up to 80% of the repetitive effort typically involved in modernization.
A Real-World Example
An enterprise successfully used AWS Transform to modernize a 10-year-old .NET Framework Web API consisting of over 50,000 lines of code. In a single session within the AWS Management Console, the team:
- Identified legacy APIs and obsolete project files
- Auto-generated modern .csproj files
- Executed unit tests to ensure a smooth migration of the codebase
This example illustrates how AWS Transform can accelerate the modernization of complex, aging codebases with minimal manual intervention.
Conclusion
Modernizing .NET applications no longer requires a lengthy or high-risk process. AWS Transform provides an AI-assisted toolchain that simplifies and accelerates the shift from legacy .NET to a modern, cloud-ready architecture.
From outdated internal tools to mission-critical systems, the platform is designed to reduce migration complexity, lower operational costs, and enable faster adoption of modern development practices—with minimal manual effort.
About TrackIt
TrackIt is an international AWS cloud consulting, systems integration, and software development firm headquartered in Marina del Rey, CA.
We have built our reputation on helping media companies architect and implement cost-effective, reliable, and scalable Media & Entertainment workflows in the cloud. These include streaming and on-demand video solutions, media asset management, and archiving, incorporating the latest AI technology to build bespoke media solutions tailored to customer requirements.
Cloud-native software development is at the foundation of what we do. We specialize in Application Modernization, Containerization, Infrastructure as Code and event-driven serverless architectures by leveraging the latest AWS services. Along with our Managed Services offerings which provide 24/7 cloud infrastructure maintenance and support, we are able to provide complete solutions for the media industry.