Deterministic Java refactoring at scale + Snake in 10 lines

Remember remember, there is a BeJUG in November. Time again for the Antwerp province!

We're having Bart Naudts and Piet van Remortel from CodeLaser and Guus de Wit from JPoint bringing us 2 interesting talks!

A big thank you to Beehive or hosting us this time!

Schedule
18:00: Doors open + Food and Drinks
18:45: Intro and BeJUG updates
18:50: Talk 1
19:35: Little break
19:45: Talk 2
20:30: Mingling + Drinks

Topics
Deterministic Java refactoring at scale

Coding agents are great tools to produce code, but performing coordinated refactoring at scale can be costly and time-consuming, while results are non-deterministic. CodeLaser is an efficient and deterministic engine for large-scale analytics and refactoring in Java. It holds a full code and type model, whose core knowledge stems from our open-source engine maddi, providing static linking and modification data.
On top of that model, CodeLaser offers a range of powerful refactoring primitives based on intent, taking away the need for exhaustive syntax-based manipulations. Examples are the introduction of interfaces, coordinated moves and the breaking of cycles. Executing a single primitive can result in a large number of coordinated changes across the codebase.

AI agents can build and run workflows over MCP using the CodeLaser engine, both for code insights and measurements and for manipulations. A rich user interface allows user review and approval of complex operations. The result is the best of both worlds: AI reasoning and intent-based conversation with the user, and fast, correct execution on the code, with user involvement where appropriate.

The talk covers some of the internal workings of the engine (static analytics, modification analytics) as well as practical applications and case studies, such as the modularization of monoliths and the removal of dead code.

About Bart
Bart holds a PhD in the mathematical analysis of machine learning algorithms. He was co-founder and CTO of MDCPartners, a big-data startup in the pharmaceutical market built on a complex Java stack. At CodeLaser he designs and writes the refactoring engine, as well as maddi, its open-source foundation library.

About Piet
Before CodeLaser, Piet held academic positions after a PhD in machine learning, and co-founded MDCPartners, a big-data startup in the pharmaceutical market.

Snake in 10 Lines: Learning More by Coding Less
Can you create a complete game with just 10 lines of code? That was the quest I set myself when recreating the classic game Snake in as few lines as possible. Let me tell you: I was not ready for the types of challenges I would face. For example, just registering button presses was not as straightforward as I had hoped.

Through live coding, I will show you how I overcame these obstacles and distilled Snake to its absolute essence. What key elements make this game instantly recognizable? By only using tools from the JDK, we will end up with a minimal code base and if not award-winning, at least a playable version of Snake.

Striving for conciseness led me to a deeper understanding of the code. I will show how constraints push us to think outside the box and lead to more creative solutions. Moreover, my approach can be applied to any problem. Sometimes the best way to understand code is by seeing how little of it you actually need!

About Guus
Guus is a Java/Kotlin engineer at JPoint. With a passion for puzzles and a background in science, he strives for elegant solutions to complex problems. In his spare time, he likes to over-optimize the simple tasks of today, to hopefully live a lazy life tomorrow

Additional notes:

• This meetup includes food. Please keep your RSVP status up to date so we do not waste any of our food.
• Some pictures might be made. If you feel uncomfortable about this, please mention this to the organizers (or anyone with a camera).