Introduction to modernising IBM i Development
In the realm of software development, adaptation and evolution are paramount for staying relevant and efficient. For decades, IBM i (formerly known as AS/400 or iSeries) has been a stalwart in enterprise computing, powering critical business applications. However, whilst the methodologies and tools surrounding application development have undergone significant transformation in recent years, many IBM clients have not managed to take the same journey for their IBM i applications.
For instance, while today’s software developers look to integrate industry tools such as Git—a widely adopted version control system—and VSCode—a lightweight yet powerful source code editor—to drive collaboration, efficiency, and agility gains, the IBM i development team is often stuck with legacy methods.
A result of this is that we hear many organisations talk of IBM i as ‘legacy’ and think their only option is to consider re-platforming. However, adopting tools like Git and VSCode is simpler than you think for IBM i and is a good first step towards modernising your development landscape. First we’ll discuss the benefits of tools such as Git and VSCode and then come on to how we can help you get there.
Embrace Version Control with Git
Traditionally, IBM i development has relied on legacy version control systems or even manual methods – leading to inefficiencies, versioning conflicts, and a lack of transparency. Enter Git, a distributed version control system renowned for its speed, flexibility, and robust branching model. By adopting Git, IBM i development teams can effectively manage source code, track changes and collaborate seamlessly.
One of the primary advantages of Git is its decentralised nature, allowing developers to work offline and synchronise changes when connected. This is particularly beneficial for IBM i developers who may work in diverse geographical locations or face intermittent connectivity issues. Moreover, Git’s branching and merging capabilities enable concurrent development of features, bug fixes, and experiments without disrupting the main codebase. Branches can be easily created, merged, or discarded, streamlining the development workflow and facilitating parallel workstreams.
Leverage VSCode for Enhanced Development Experience
Complementing Git is VSCode, a lightweight yet feature-rich source code editor developed by Microsoft. VSCode has gained immense popularity among developers due to its extensibility, robust ecosystem of extensions and intuitive user interface. While traditionally associated with web development, VSCode is highly adaptable and can be customised to support a wide array of programming languages and platforms, including IBM i.
By integrating VSCode into the IBM i development toolkit, developers can harness a modern, streamlined development experience. VSCode offers powerful syntax highlighting, code completion, and debugging capabilities tailored for RPG, CL, and other IBM i languages. Additionally, VSCode’s built-in terminal allows seamless interaction with IBM i systems, enabling developers to compile, debug, and execute commands directly from the editor.
Streamline Workflows with Integrated Tooling
The synergy between Git and VSCode extends beyond version control and code editing. Numerous extensions and plugins are available to seamlessly integrate Git functionality into the VSCode environment. Developers can visualise Git history, manage branches, and resolve conflicts without leaving the editor, fostering a cohesive and efficient workflow.
Furthermore, VSCode’s extension ecosystem includes tools specifically designed for IBM i development, such as remote file editing, database integration, and integrated terminal emulators. These extensions augment the development experience, providing developers with unparalleled convenience and productivity. Whether it’s accessing IBM i libraries, executing SQL queries, or interacting with system commands, VSCode serves as a centralised hub for IBM i development tasks. 
Encourage Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
We’ve touched on the benefits to individual developer productivity but the integration of Git and VSCode also promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing within IBM i development teams. Git’s centralised repositories serve as a single source of truth, allowing developers to track changes, review code, and provide feedback in a transparent and organised manner. Code reviews, pull requests, and issue tracking become streamlined processes, fostering collaboration and ensuring code quality.
Moreover, VSCode’s live sharing features enable real-time collaboration between developers, regardless of their physical location. Team members can co-edit files, share debugging sessions, and communicate via built-in chat functionality, facilitating rapid iteration and problem-solving.
As well as bringing IBM i development in line with other platforms, it has an associated benefit of making IBM i development visible and accessible for developers in other fields to cross-train and collaborate on a single platform.
Embrace Cloud Services
To extend the benefits of moving to a modern development approach, many clients look to the cloud to provide fast, flexible provisioning and take advantage of native cloud services. Rather than account for development space with on-premises infrastructure, by moving this into the cloud, clients can make efficiencies for owned infrastructure and only pay for what they need. IBM i has been available in the public cloud for some time and can help improve agility in development cycles through cloud-native services and on-demand scalability.
Conclusion
From streamlined version control to enhanced code editing and seamless integration with IBM i systems, the integration of Git and VSCode represents a transformative leap forward in modernising IBM i development practices. However, in order to make the most of the transition, Northdoor can help by bringing in specialist products from Arcad (also available as IBM Merlin) to provide analysis and contextual support to IBM i code.
On-demand webinar:
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