Rational Developer for System z

An integrated, multiplatform development environment

• Work with an interactive, workstation-based environment that lets you connect to a mainframe and develop mainframe-based applications in COBOL, PL/I, Assembler, C/C++ and Java, and develop workstation-based applications in COBOL, PL/I and Java.
• Create composite applications that integrate traditional mainframe CICS or IMS transactional applications with IBM WebSphere®-based environments.
• Reuse and transform existing mainframe applications by making them accessible as web services in a service-oriented architecture (SOA) environment.
• Employ the common services of an integrated development infrastructure to help reduce manual integration and create more efficient development processes.
• Use a development foundation based on Eclipse open-source technology written to CICS, IMS, DB2 and Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) specifications, and take advantage of Eclipse plug-in technology.

IBM System z application development tools

• Create control flow diagrams for COBOL programs that include links to the underlying source code; zoom in and zoom out capabilities; and the ability to print or export diagrams to a bitmap (BMP) file.
• Identify and highlight potential unreachable code using program scope static analysis.
• Streamline editing and maintenance processes by using data element tables that show all data elements for COBOL programs and their dependent copybooks and all data elements for PL/I programs and their dependent files.
• Open called programs from within COBOL and PL/I source files for fast access to code.
• View the call hierarchy for PL/I applications, showing caller and callee relationships of PL/I procedures in a hierarchical tree view.

Integration with source control and collaborative lifecycle management systems

• Use the Software Configuration and Library Manager (SCLM) Developer Toolkit to access and work with source code managed by SCLM.
• Work with IBM Rational ClearCase® software configuration management (SCM) and Rational ClearCase multiversion file system (MVFS) plug-ins to enable versioning of software artifacts in Rational ClearCase versioned object bases (VOBs).
• Take advantage of snapshot views and dynamic views when Rational ClearCase VOB and view servers are installed.
• Access and work with the CA Endevor Software Change Manager to manage source code.
• Integrate with IBM Problem Determination Tools for z/OS including the System z debugger and fault analyzer to solve problems quickly.

Quality control

• Provide application structural analysis, code analysis and code metrics to help deliver COBOL and PL/I applications that conform to in-house programming guidelines.
• Integrate with the IBM z/OS Automated Unit Testing Framework to help contain costs and streamline implementation using a test environment for mainframe applications.
• Use an expanded set of COBOL code quality rules and enablement for custom rules, plus new code quality rules for PL/I applications.
• Connect with existing System z development processes including problem determination and System z source management systems for efficient mainframe application development.

CICS, IMS and DB2 support

• Work with tools designed specifically for the CICS Transaction Server (CICS TS) including the IBM CICS Explorer®, Enterprise Service Tools for CICS, Basic Mapping Support (BMS) Screen Designer and CICS Code Generators.
• Use tools specifically designed for developers working with IMS Transaction Manager (TM) and Database (DB), including Enterprise Service Tools for IMS, MFS Screen Designer and IMS Code Generators.
• Use development tools designed to work with DB2 databases, stored procedures and applications.