Spec-Grounded Modernization of Brownfield Software Systems: An Architecture-Aware Framework for AI-Assisted, Traceable, and Safe Evolution

Abstract

Brownfield modernization is difficult because behavior, architecture, constraints, and business rules are distributed across code, documentation, tickets, schemas, and tacit knowledge. This article develops a Spec-Grounded Modernization Framework integrating architecture recovery, specification-driven development, AI-assisted planning, bounded implementation, traceability, and evidence-based release assurance.

Keywords

Brownfield modernization · Specification-driven development · AI coding agents · Software architecture recovery · Requirements traceability

Suggested Citation

Chokhawala, B. (2025). Spec-Grounded Modernization of Brownfield Software Systems: An Architecture-Aware Framework for AI-Assisted, Traceable, and Safe Evolution. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21480921

BibTeX

@article{chokhawala2025specgroundedmodernizationbrown,
  author    = {Chokhawala, Bhagyeshkumar},
  title     = {Spec-Grounded Modernization of Brownfield Software Systems: An Architecture-Aware Framework for AI-Assisted, Traceable, and Safe Evolution},
  year      = {2025},
  publisher = {Zenodo},
  doi       = {10.5281/zenodo.21480921},
  url       = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21480921}
}

Related Practitioner Article

This research publication expands an earlier practitioner article.