For the automation challenges of older systems that lack APIs, legacy-use solves them with a three-phase program:
- Building the Connection Layer: Connect to the target machine via RDP/VNC protocol to establish a secure tunnel. For highly isolated systems, it is recommended to deploy the tool in the same physical/virtual machine environment as the target software.
- Designing Operational Processes: Write natural language instructions (Prompt) describing the steps of an operation, for example:
"Log in to the system → go to the report module → select the date range → click on the export button". It is recommended to record the manual process with screen recording before converting it into structured instructions. - Wrapping the REST API: Map the action flow to HTTP endpoints in the legacy-use backend, supporting GET/POST methods. It is recommended to use version control naming (e.g. /v1/generate-report) to facilitate later iteration.
Note: The first implementation should be configured with monitoring guardrails and manual review triggers (e.g., pause if the interface element recognition confidence level is below 85%).
This answer comes from the articlelegacy-use: adding AI automation interfaces to legacy software without APIsThe
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