Exploring the Capabilities and Limitations of ChatGPT for Java Code Generation

Abstract

The study begins with a contextualisation of generative AI in the current landscape, acknowledging its position in the Gartner Hype Cycle for AI and recognising the associated risks in the "Trough of Disillusionment" phase. The research problem focuses on the critical evaluation of code quality and security, particularly for Java code generation, a relatively unexplored area in the literature. The thesis is that while ChatGPT can contribute to developer productivity by generating Java code, the inherent code quality and security challenges may not meet corporate standards. The main research question investigates the weaknesses of the Java code generated by ChatGPT in terms of code quality and security.