Modern Mainframe Development

Chapter 3. The Development Environment

Nowadays it is easy for anyone to learn a modern programming language. Often this knowledge is free since most of the software is open source. For Python, for example, plenty of tutorials are available on YouTube.

But when it comes to mainframe development, the situation is much different. Not as many online resources are available. What’s more, few people have access to an actual mainframe. It simply costs too much.

So what to do? Luckily, free software is available to emulate a mainframe environment as well as several integrated development environments (IDEs), and even web-based platforms.

In this chapter, we will look at these offerings. The chapter also shows the types of tools you are likely to have access to from your employer.

Accessing a Mainframe

Thousands of people can interact with a mainframe that is managed by z/OS. But before you can get access, your employer will provide you with the necessary login credentials. A background check may even be required before you can use the system. It’s common to have a high level of security for mainframes because these machines usually contain critical data.

A common approach to provide mainframe access is through the use of emulator software, Eclipse or Visual Studio code. With this, you will have different types of software systems to make a connection:

TN3270 emulator

This is the most common way to access a mainframe. This software will make a direct connection.

File Transfer Protocol ...