LegacyLift — AI-Powered Legacy COBOL to Modern App

LegacyLift demonstrates modernizing a legacy COBOL payroll system using AI (IBM Bob). Originally a 40-year-old undocumented COBOL codebase handling payroll calculations with complex business rules, the project was transformed into a production-ready full-stack web application in just 1.5 hours with $3.83 AI cost—saving approximately 2 weeks of manual development effort. TECHNOLOGY STACK: • Frontend: Next.js 14, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui • Backend: FastAPI, Python 3.11, SQLAlchemy • Database: PostgreSQL • AI Tool: IBM Bob (watsonx) KEY FEATURES: • JWT authentication with role-based access control (Admin, HR, Manager, Employee) • Complete employee management system • Payroll processing preserving legacy COBOL business logic: - Overtime: 160hr threshold at 1.5x multiplier - Tax brackets: 12% (gross ≤$3,000), 25% (gross >$3,000) - Fixed allowance: $150, Government deduction: $75 • Pay period management • Configurable system settings This project showcases how AI can preserve and extend legacy systems while modernizing the developer experience.