Modernizing Mainframe Development: Exploring IBM Z Developer for z and IBM Z Open Development
Mainframe Modern Developer IDE – IBM Z Developer for z , IBM z Open Development
Legacy Mainframe has ISPF Interface to open, edit the source code and compile the program with Compilation JCL( Job Control Language) which creates Load Library, and that can be executed by RUN JCLs
With Java based Eclipse Interface provide much better interface for developer in many ways. This Modern interface supports Perspectives and View with good code snippet visualization.
The Integrated Development Environment(IDE) for Modern development tool or Application Development tools which IBM Mainframe modernization and Modern DevOps Implementations supports
- IBM Developer for z
- Z Open Development
This Modern Developer tool helps to at least work with Modern Interface or IDE with out any Mainframe Migrations and just modernization Environment to get the benefits of these tools.
IBM Developer for z/OS (IDz) or IBM Z Open Development is a modern, robust toolset for developing and maintaining IBM z/OS applications through the use of DevOps practices. It helps us in
- Efficient Code Analysis
- Reviewing code with Coding Standards
- Code Analysis with details outlook view, and each control flow can be visualised and help for debug or code enhancements
- Developer code more faster, with better quality and coding standards
- eGit Perspective for accessing Git Repository
This Eclipsed based IDE earlier was called as Rational Developer for z Systems (RDz), it cam eiwth version RDz v 6, 7, to 9.5.1 and later released as IBM Developer for z System version 14. It offers COBOL, PL/I, High Level Assembler, REXX, C/C++, JCL, and Java development an Eclipse base. This comes is Base Version and Enterprise Edition
With Enterprise Edition, developers have the option to choose Microsoft VS Code or Red Hat(R) CodeReady Workspaces for their daily z/OS development work.
IBM Developer for System z , use the Remote System Explorer perspective to do mainframe tasks that are equivalent to tasks done in ISPF:
- View/ Edit data sets and members
- Allocate or delete data sets
- Create or delete members
- Edit text/ Edit the member
- Submit JCL
- Submit TSO commands
We can use the z/OS Projects perspective to carry out a particular development effort.
- Remote System Explorer
- The Remote System Explorer is a perspective that provides an interface for managing remote systems with conventions that are similar to ISPF.
- z/OS Projects perspective
- It provides tools for connecting to UNIX, Linux on System z, and z/OS systems. In its z/OS Projects view, we can work with local and remote z/OS projects, Linux on System z projects, and MVS and z/OS UNIX subprojects.
- Enterprise Development perspective
- It provides tools for connecting to z/OS , Linux on z, Linux on Power Systems. In its Enterprise Projects view, you can work with local and remote z/OS, AIX, Linux on System z, Remote C/C++ projects, and MVS and z/OS UNIX subprojects.
- By default, the z/OS Projects perspective includes the Remote Systems view, where you can do several of the remote system tasks that were listed earlier. This perspective also includes views that you can use to obtain the output of a specific job and display it. Organizing your work with projects and subprojects explains some of the basics of working in the z/OS Projects view.
IBM z Open Development, the latest version is 2.0 and it has the capability of Integrated Development tool which helps as similar to IBM Developer for z for development and maintain the application, access to system z assets, but it also has build automation capabilities that integrate DevOps Pipeline. It has modern Source code Management connection options like Git.
Using the Remote System Explorer perspective to do mainframe tasks that are equivalent to tasks done in ISPF:
- View/ Edit data sets and members
- Allocate or delete data sets
- Create or delete members
- Edit text/ Edit the member
- Submit JCL
- Submit TSO commands
For Developers, it allows
- To develop programs / application in COBOL, PL/I or Java
- Access to z/OS data sets via z/OS Projects
- Properties and other supports for COBOL, DB2, IMS, CICS
- Debug the application and view in Debug Perspective
- Integration with Source Code Management with Git
- Integration with Build using IBM Dependency Based (IBM DBB) Build
We are experienced good implementation skills of these tools EDz, EAz, IDz, DBB, UCDz install, configure and customize and do training enablement. Rich experience in IBM Developer for z and IBM DBB Training by with content delivery of 5 days based on the coverage and team size of trainees.
We also explore other products from Heirlooms Computing, Micro Focus, Modern Systems for Application Analysis, Development IDE for Mainframe applications.
Contact us as vlakshmie@vrgzlabs.com for any Mainframe Training, Mainframe Modernization Training, Implementations, Mainframe Consulting engagements and customization projects.
