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Harness Acquires Augment Code

Harness, a key player in the Autonomous Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) space, recently announced its acquisition of specific assets from Augment Code, including the Cosmos platform. This strategic move is set to enhance Harness's capabilities in creating a more autonomous and seamless software development experience from inception to production.

The Cosmos Software Factory Agent

With this acquisition, Augment's Cosmos will transform into the Harness Cosmos Software Factory Agent, which is designed to automate engineering workflows right from the initial idea phase through to merge-ready code. This integration is expected to streamline the entire software development process, offering seamless communication and functionality across different stages of development.

Cosmos agents will operate in isolated virtual environments, engaging engineers only at critical junctures where specialized judgment is required, such as during design approvals or final merges. This allows for a continuous loop of code enhancement where agents address reviewer comments or issues from failed checks directly on the same pull request.

Leveraging Code Context for Better Development

One of the standout features of the acquisition is the synergy between Augment's Code Context Engine and Harness's Software Delivery Knowledge Graph. This integration will provide developers with vital insights throughout the software development lifecycle. By understanding both the codebase and the delivery context, agents can make informed decisions at every step—changing code more intelligently and correcting any discovered issues efficiently.

Jyoti Bansal, founder and CEO of Harness, remarked, “The role of AI in software development shouldn’t be merely about code generation; it’s about ensuring valuable software reaches users effectively.” This acquisition aims to harness the code context, making initial changes more insightful and leveraging downstream feedback for continuous improvement.

A Future of Autonomous Engineering

Igor Ostrovsky, co-founder and CTO of Augment Code, emphasized the ambition of merging their technology with Harness's platform, aiming to vastly automate engineering tasks. The ultimate vision is for engineers to intervene only when necessary, allowing for a smoother and faster software development process.

As the integration progresses, users of the Harness platform can expect even greater enhancements, with prebuilt agents capable of managing various tasks such as project building, pull request authoring, deep reviewing, and issue fixing on a broad scale across organizations.

Shared Context from Code to Production

Harness's Software Delivery Knowledge Graph will facilitate a cohesive environment where delivery and operational data—including builds, deployments, infrastructure, security, and associated costs—are interconnected. The incorporation of Augment's Code Context Engine allows for a meticulous approach to software creation, taking various crucial factors into account before any code is written.

This dynamic system means that prior to a change, Harness Cosmos will compile the necessary delivery context, encompassing test cases, security mandates, and historical remediation efforts. This ensures that the subsequent agents can calculate risks intelligently and validate all necessary factors, looping back until all issues are resolved.

Extending Automation through Integration

Harness Cosmos will significantly extend the operating capabilities of the Harness environment, ensuring that the journey from idea to finished product becomes increasingly autonomous. The integrated framework includes multiple agents that handle various facets of the development and delivery processes, such as:

• - Software Delivery Agent: Safely moves changes to production.
• - Security Testing Agent: Detects and resolves risks before production.
• - Runtime Protection Agent: Safeguards applications, APIs, and AI in runtime.
• - Cost Management Agent: Optimizes costs linked with cloud and AI resources.

The introduction of Harness Cosmos marks a noteworthy development towards refining the software development lifecycle and achieving greater autonomy in engineering tasks, meeting the demands of enterprises aiming for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Conclusion

Harness Cosmos is now live and represents a substantial leap forward in engineering autonomy. With an impressive set of tools tailor-made for modern software challenges, Harness continues to empower development teams across the board, allowing them to generate higher-quality software at unprecedented speeds. For more information, individuals can visit the Harness website or explore the latest blog posts discussing these advancements.

About Harness

Harness provides an Autonomous SDLC platform, enabling engineering teams to deliver software that is fast, reliable, and secure. Leveraging an ecosystem of agents, Harness allows companies to accelerate their release processes significantly, cut cloud expenses, and enhance overall efficiency. Renowned firms such as United Airlines, Morningstar, and Choice Hotels rely on Harness for these improvements, making it a leader in the software delivery landscape.