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With the help of Gemini Code Assist agents, you can improve software delivery performance and reach new heights of perfection.

According to DORA's recently published research, The Impact of Generative AI in Software Development, AI technologies are improving software developers' productivity, focus, and satisfaction. They're even producing better code and documentation more quickly. The study did find a contradiction, though: these discrete advantages do not always translate into improved system performance. In fact, DORA's platform-neutral analysis found a link between the increasing use of AI and:

Reduced software delivery throughput: A 25% increase in AI use is associated with a 1.5% drop in delivery throughput.

Reduced software delivery stability: For every 25% increase in AI utilisation, delivery stability falls by 7.2%.

This presents a dilemma. How might artificial intelligence (AI) affect system performance overall while also boosting individual productivity?

The research's key finding is that more code doesn't always equal better. This does not mean that software delivery is always negatively impacted by AI. It highlights how important it is to strategically implement AI. It would be like focussing only on code development and neglecting other systemic constraints to add additional lanes to a road that ends in a single-lane tunnel. In other words, traffic will increase.

GitHub Gemini Code Assist

Gemini Code Assist for GitHub integrates Gemini's capabilities into the pull request process by acting as a code reviewer. Gemini Code Assist speeds up and enhances code quality with a Gemini-powered agent that automatically condenses pull requests and provides comprehensive code evaluations. You can use Gemini Code Assist to review the code at any time during the pull request.

Gemini can be contacted directly in the comments section of the pull request by:

Requesting additional details on the review that Gemini generates.

By including the /gemini tag in your comments, you might encourage Gemini to enquire about the pull request.

Gemini will automatically pull requests and gather pertinent data from the repository in order to accomplish its goals.

This document is intended for developers with varying degrees of experience. You are presumably familiar with GitHub.

Agents using Gemini Code Assist

On February 25, a preview of Gemini Code Assist for GitHub was released to the public as part of Gemini Code Assist for Individuals. It helps developers with the process of submitting pull requests. This code review agent gives artificial intelligence (AI) support to your code review process by enhancing code maintainability, comparing code to team-specific best practices, and promoting continuous integration. This suggests that developers receive extra benefits such as:

Improved document quality

Fast reaction

Easy migration of the code base

The GitHub marketplace currently offers the Gemini Code Assist for GitHub for download and installation.

Enhance the quality of the documents

Better documentation is regularly linked to improved developer well-being, team performance, and organisational performance, per the DORA study. The agent helps produce documentation of a higher calibre by:

Generating and updating documentation automatically.

providing developers on the codebase with timely answers to their questions.

Expediting the onboarding process and promoting information sharing.

Reducing tech debt (as the agent documents, it improves comprehension).

By automating this often laborious process, developers may focus on higher-value tasks, increasing productivity and job satisfaction.

Give prompt feedback

Trust and confidence in new processes and tools are developed through rapid, high-quality feedback loops. Feedback also helps individuals, groups, and organisations modify their tactics when they realise that things aren't going as intended. Teams can "shift left" on quality and get feedback faster by improving test data management and automation.

constructing comprehensive test scenarios.

testing after determining the level of danger.

identifying and noting test errors.

reducing the requirement for human testing.

Increasing the code's scope

Automated testing can reduce change failure rates and improve software dependability overall.

Modify the code bases

Applications need to be updated for maintainability, security, and dependability. Migrations and upgrades can be costly, time-consuming, and challenging to prioritise. The agent can remove out-of-date systems and dependencies more quickly by:

rewriting code in a new framework, language, or version.

To ensure that the new implementation is accurate, provide a thorough set of test cases.

offering a comprehensive assessment to find any errors that might have gone overlooked.

provide a set of documentation for the new implementation, saving you time and effort.

Utilise Gemini Code Assist agents to lower technical debt

Let's look at a specific situation that every software team faces after presenting you to some of the ways Gemini Code Assist agents could affect your software development life cycle: Managing technical debt.

Google Cloud has created Gemini Code Assist to be a strategic partner in resolving technical debt and establishing the foundation for long-term product delivery, in addition to being a coding partner.

Technical debt is not the result of poor coding alone. It's about what happens when you prioritise speed above perfect design or cut corners to meet pressing demands. Examples include the obsolete library that no one has time to update, the duplicated code that is easier to copy-paste than to restructure, the "temporary" workaround that becomes a permanent solution, and the documentation that is never created. It could be brought on by a lack of information, poor training, or even the unscheduled retirement of a good or service. It can take on a variety of forms. In fact, Google researchers identified eleven major groups.

The impact of this mounting debt is substantial. DORA's study found a high correlation between technical debt and subpar software delivery performance. In addition to slowing down development, technical debt actively hinders an organization's ability to innovate, adapt, and compete.

Methods for cutting down on technical debt

Similar to financial debt, which requires a scheduled payback schedule, technical debt must be deliberately corrected. While there isn't a magic bullet, DORA's research and industry norms point to many important strategies:

Prioritise tasks and create a graphic: The first step is to make the debt visible. Use tools like code analysis platforms, dependency trackers, and documentation coverage reports to quantify the problem. Value stream mapping, or VSM, greatly facilitates the identification of waste regions and bottlenecks caused by technical debt.

Recognise that technical debt reduction should be a continual process rather than a one-time event. Make it a part of your daily routine.

Encourage teams by giving them the autonomy and resources they need to handle technological debt.

Revise the teams and architecture: Use loosely coupled teams and architecture to reduce dependencies and make it easier to find and address technical debt in individual components.

Clearly outline your processes for managing change: Reduce wait times and change-related bottlenecks by using a cooperative, transparent, and streamlined change process that gives reviews precedence over blocking.

When these strategies are applied consistently, a positive feedback loop results. When technical debt is decreased, developers may focus more of their time and energy on improving the system and adding new features.

Gemini Code Assistance: Your buddy in the fight against technical debt

By focussing on the entire SDLC rather than simply code creation and providing specialist capabilities for tasks like code review, documentation, and testing, Gemini Code Assist helps ensure that AI-generated code is thoroughly reviewed and integrated properly. By reducing the likelihood of errors and technical debt, this improves code quality and eases maintenance.

The behaviour of Gemini Code Assist can be changed to fit your company's particular coding environments, standards, preferred styles, and recognised best practices. Google Cloud is committed to incorporating DORA's research into its plan for ongoing improvement.

Identify any bottlenecks: Use DORA's four key metrics along with other performance indicators to find the constraints in your SDLC.

Make detailed plans for enhancements: When appropriate, enhance certain DORA capabilities by utilising Gemini AI agents.

Measure and experiment: Make changes and keep a careful eye on how they impact your performance metrics.

Modify and enhance: Adapt your approach according to the information, constantly seeking to make it better.

An iterative, data-driven approach and Gemini Code Assist agents can help organisations see past the hype and fully utilise AI in software development.

Agents, try Gemini Code Assist now

Collaboration between AI and human creativity is the way of the future for software development. Gemini AI bots are designed to be that friend.