J
Jessica (Malakian) Newton
Guest
The role of the software developer is evolving faster than ever. As organizations modernize, adapt and innovate, the intersection of advanced AI solutions and enterprise-grade applications like the Progress OpenEdge development platform creates unique challenges and unprecedented opportunities for the people writing the code.
Organizations using the Progress OpenEdge platform face a unique challenge—while AI-powered coding assistants like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT and Claude can be game-changing for mainstream languages like Python or JavaScript, they don’t truly understand OpenEdge Advanced Business Language (ABL). That’s because there’s far less publicly available ABL code to train large models. The result? Out-of-the-box AI tools often generate inaccurate ABL code, leaving developers fixing errors, managers struggling to enforce standards and IT leaders worrying about modernization risks and costs.
This gap is why we built the Progress OpenEdge Model Context Protocol (MCP) Connector for ABL—a purpose-built bridge between your AI assistant and your unique OpenEdge environment. It’s the human-centric AI solution designed specifically to accelerate ABL modernization, reduce development risk and boost productivity across your teams.
Generic coding copilots are trained on massive datasets from popular, open-source languages. But ABL is different; it powers mission-critical business systems but has a much smaller open footprint. This mismatch leaves developers dealing with:
For companies with core applications built on the OpenEdge platform, this makes AI adoption more risky than rewarding.
With embedded Generative AI (GenAI) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) directly in your workflow, this assistant helps with sustainable modernization, faster upgrades and true developer agility using the OpenEdge ABL code you know best.
The OpenEdge MCP Connector is designed to solve these exact challenges. By combining GenAI with RAG, the Connector feeds your assistant with your rules, standards, documentation and ABL context. That means the code suggestions inside your Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or command line interface (CLI) aren’t just generic guesses—they’re aligned with your environment and modernization goals.
Developers can work interactively with AI right where they code, whether in Visual Studio Code, Windsurf, Cursor or a CLI tool like Claude Code. Instead of jumping between tools or manually auditing outputs, the Connector delivers context-aware support right in the workflow.
The result? Developers move faster, the volume of errors goes down and modernization projects like upgrading to OpenEdge 12 become far more achievable.
The OpenEdge MCP Connector connects your IDE to an MCP server—an AI integration layer that draws on domain-specific data, organizational rules and your ABL codebase. From there, developers interact directly with their AI assistant to:
Alongside the product, we also offer the OpenEdge AI Coding Assistant Service, which helps customers implement, customize and scale their AI-enabled OpenEdge process. Our team will work with you to:
This service ensures your organization captures immediate value while scaling AI adoption on your terms.
Learn more about the AI Coding Assistant for ABL Accelerator Service.
With the OpenEdge MCP Connector for ABL, your team gains a tailored AI coding partner that understands your environment, enforces your standards and accelerates your modernization roadmap.
It’s time to ship ABL code faster, cleaner and more confidently—with AI built for your needs, not somebody else’s.
Learn more about the Progress OpenEdge MCP Connector for ABL and get started today!
Continue reading...
Organizations using the Progress OpenEdge platform face a unique challenge—while AI-powered coding assistants like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT and Claude can be game-changing for mainstream languages like Python or JavaScript, they don’t truly understand OpenEdge Advanced Business Language (ABL). That’s because there’s far less publicly available ABL code to train large models. The result? Out-of-the-box AI tools often generate inaccurate ABL code, leaving developers fixing errors, managers struggling to enforce standards and IT leaders worrying about modernization risks and costs.
This gap is why we built the Progress OpenEdge Model Context Protocol (MCP) Connector for ABL—a purpose-built bridge between your AI assistant and your unique OpenEdge environment. It’s the human-centric AI solution designed specifically to accelerate ABL modernization, reduce development risk and boost productivity across your teams.
Why Generic AI Tools Fall Short for ABL
Generic coding copilots are trained on massive datasets from popular, open-source languages. But ABL is different; it powers mission-critical business systems but has a much smaller open footprint. This mismatch leaves developers dealing with:
Frequent errors in AI-generated ABL
Limited support for modernization and upgrades
Inconsistent outputs that don’t align with organizational coding
standards
Increased costs for fixes, maintenance and testing
For companies with core applications built on the OpenEdge platform, this makes AI adoption more risky than rewarding.
With embedded Generative AI (GenAI) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) directly in your workflow, this assistant helps with sustainable modernization, faster upgrades and true developer agility using the OpenEdge ABL code you know best.
A Tailored Solution: OpenEdge MCP Connector for ABL
The OpenEdge MCP Connector is designed to solve these exact challenges. By combining GenAI with RAG, the Connector feeds your assistant with your rules, standards, documentation and ABL context. That means the code suggestions inside your Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or command line interface (CLI) aren’t just generic guesses—they’re aligned with your environment and modernization goals.
Developers can work interactively with AI right where they code, whether in Visual Studio Code, Windsurf, Cursor or a CLI tool like Claude Code. Instead of jumping between tools or manually auditing outputs, the Connector delivers context-aware support right in the workflow.
The result? Developers move faster, the volume of errors goes down and modernization projects like upgrading to OpenEdge 12 become far more achievable.
Key Capabilities at a Glance
Automate routine work: Generate boilerplate code, scaffolding, documentation and unit tests from natural-language prompts.
Improve quality: Access context through RAG, enforce coding standards and instantly validate compliance.
Accelerate modernization: Refactor legacy ABL, spot deprecated constructs and streamline migrations.
Enhance security & governance: Build organization-specific guardrails into every generated output.
Preserve institutional knowledge: Capture expertise in reusable workflows and make onboarding easier.
Future readiness: Adapt seamlessly as both AI models and the OpenEdge platform itself evolves.
Who Benefits Most?
Developers cut down on manual coding, generate standards-compliant
ABL and reduce errors so they can stay productive and confident.
Development managers and architects gain stronger enforcement of
standards, smoother onboarding and accelerated modernization without
the cost of manual rewrites.
IT and business leaders achieve lower risk, reduced costs, faster
modernization timelines and a future-proof foundation.
How It Works
The OpenEdge MCP Connector connects your IDE to an MCP server—an AI integration layer that draws on domain-specific data, organizational rules and your ABL codebase. From there, developers interact directly with their AI assistant to:
Query, generate, document and refactor code via natural-language
prompts
Automate routine updates and bug fixes
Prepare for OpenEdge 12 adoption by detecting deprecated constructs
Support compliance and strengthen security standards inline
Accelerate project timelines with AI-powered automation and
governance
Beyond the Connector: AI Coding Assistant Service
Alongside the product, we also offer the OpenEdge AI Coding Assistant Service, which helps customers implement, customize and scale their AI-enabled OpenEdge process. Our team will work with you to:
Index and align your existing codebase and standards
Enforce compliance through real-time checks and governance reporting
Support modernization initiatives, including refactoring for OpenEdge
12 and Progress Application Studio (PAS) for OpenEdge
Deliver flexibility with MCP-first, deep IDE integration or curated
rule file distribution
This service ensures your organization captures immediate value while scaling AI adoption on your terms.
Learn more about the AI Coding Assistant for ABL Accelerator Service.
Move Faster, Reduce Risk, Modernize with Confidence
With the OpenEdge MCP Connector for ABL, your team gains a tailored AI coding partner that understands your environment, enforces your standards and accelerates your modernization roadmap.
It’s time to ship ABL code faster, cleaner and more confidently—with AI built for your needs, not somebody else’s.
Learn more about the Progress OpenEdge MCP Connector for ABL and get started today!
Continue reading...