Best Mainframe Application Development Tools

Topaz Workbench provides an intuitive interface that enables developers of all experience levels to initiate Compuware’s industry-leading developer tools, Abend-AID, File-AID, Hiperstation, Xpediter and Strobe, as well as non-Compuware products and distributed solutions in the same environment. Through Topaz Workbench, mainframe teams can: Access Compuware development tools, providing the ability to visualize complex application logic and data relationships, make changes to code, test and debug, and performance tune Leverage existing Eclipse frameworks and integrations with popular open-system tools Manage source code and promote artifacts through the development lifecycle via integration with ISPW Leverage a multi-language, multi-platform source code editor Use JES functions like job submission, review, print and purge Use Host Explorer for z/OS navigation, including dataset management (i.e., allocation, recall, deletion); build mainframe projects to isolate and quickly access files associated with a unit of work Copy files from one LPAR to another with a simple drag and drop or right click; data is compressed and the processing is zIIP enabled for optimal performance Leverage integrations with other industry-leading tools

IBM Rational Developer for z Systems is an integrated development tool that you can use to design, develop, deploy, and test mainframe software applications, Web, and composite applications. IBM Rational Developer for z Systems offers integration for a variety of source code management (SCM) tools in addition to providing a framework for creating your own SCM integration. It provides a common workbench and tools for the following: Development of COBOL, PL/I, C++, high-level assembler, Java and Web Services programs, Interactive access to z/OS systems, Support for IMS, CICS, Batch, USS, DB2 stored procedures, application servers and CICS and IMS application development for Web Services and SOA.

CA Endevor Software Change Manager (CA Endevor SCM) is the most widely used change management software for the mainframe environment. It can automate your entire development process, adapting to your specific business requirements and helping ensure consistency and complete control. Integration with IBM Rational Developer for System z can improve productivity, accelerate time-to-delivery and ensure the auditability of all programmer activities. Eclipse-ready, CA Endevor SCM helps shorten the learning curve for application developers. It provides your team with business-driven, customizable lifecycle paths and automated version control to protect your software assets and help maintain application integrity.

CA Gen provides a single, integrated development environment that can help your teams create and maintain large-scale business applications for multiple platforms. This streamlined environment can help reduce manual labor and speed migration time while ensuring the future relevance of existing environments and applications.

Intelligent Analysis and Visualization of Mainframe Programs Topaz for Program Analysis is part of the Compuware Topaz suite of mainframe development and testing tools. It helps developers understand unfamiliar or complex mainframe applications through a visual representation of both the code structure and logic as well as the actual I/O and program trail during execution. Topaz for Program Analysis includes Runtime Visualizer, a feature that provides unprecedented graphical visibility into often-complex interactions between mainframe programs. This visibility makes it easy for veteran and novice developers alike to quickly understand, update and troubleshoot even the oldest and most complex mainframe code. With Topaz for Program Analysis, developers can: See dynamic, graphical mapping of program-to-program calls Pinpoint performance bottlenecks, inefficiencies and inter-program impacts Analyze and understand deeper program details See a “snapshot” of a program’s real behavior in production under present conditions Group together source code for programs into Java-like “projects” Discover and investigate dependencies across programs and copybooks, without moving code off the mainframe See an instant static visual summary of a single program Support both COBOL and PL/1 applications.

Xpediter is Compuware’s mainframe application interactive debugging tool. It also offers code coverage for mainframe application analysis. Xpediter enables developers to get into an interactive test session with minimal effort and quickly move applications into production with greater confidence. With Xpediter, developers can: See and control source code execution line by line Fully understand what each individual instruction is doing See and control all data variables within a test session Resolve production abends without impacting program logic or risking data corruption Monitor and control execution with added flexibility Use Code Coverage to view documented proof that code has been executed Trap transactions initiated by a remote source or a non-terminal task Gain full control of testing Create conditions during test to ensure execution of all code in a program Work alongside other developers who are debugging application code in the same or different logical IMS systems through Xpediter’s integration with COPE IMS virtualization technology

CA Brightside is the first cross-enterprise DevOps solution designed to greatly improve the productivity and efficiency of development teams to control, script and develop for the mainframe like any other cloud platform using open source tools. It empowers next-generation developers to more easily apply their experience with modern DevOps toolchains and frameworks, helping to increase their ability to innovate for the mainframe platform. It enables automation with self-service capabilities to help unlock mainframe value and reduce risk and cost, by helping to accelerate software development with higher quality and create a fine-tuned cross-enterprise DevOps environment.

Designed for simplicity, reliability, and speed, Natural is the environment of choice for enterprises operating large-scale online transaction processing (OLTP) applications on the mainframe. Natural supports z/OS, z/VM, z/VSE, BS2000/OSD, and z/Linux and provides the interoperability you need to keep your enterprise agile and scalable. Design, develop, test, debug and maintain enterprise-scale business applications Reduce your total cost of ownership on the mainframe Add on tools for even greater functionality