Zowe Explorer Plugin for IntelliJ IDEA by IBA Group Earns Inclusion in Zowe V3 Core
The Zowe Explorer plugin for IntelliJ IDEA developed by IBA Group is now officially part of Zowe’s Long Term Support (LTS) V3 Release. This plugin allows developers to work seamlessly with the z/OS platform directly within IntelliJ IDEA, advancing mainframe development with modern tools.
For over 30 years, IBA Group has been committed to modernizing the mainframe environment by continuously investing in innovation and attracting new talent. The company’s approach to mainframe revitalization led to the creation of Global Repository for Mainframe Developers (GRMD) and several DevOps solutions.
In 2020, a team of young IBA Group developers introduced the For Mainframe plugin that replaces traditional green and black screens with a modern, user-friendly interface. The solution was well received by the SHARE community, prompting Broadcom to invite the team to join the Zowe project.
The IBA Group Zowe IntelliJ Squad continues to actively contribute to the Zowe ecosystem, focusing on building an end-to-end Zowe DevOps framework that integrates modern tools across all stages of mainframe application development.
We are excited about the launch of the Zowe V3 with our Zowe Explorer plugin for IntelliJ IDEA as a Zowe core component. At IBA Group, we have been working hard to make this a reality! What is also important, we have not been doing it in isolation. The Zowe project makes us feel part of a great family of enthusiasts who strive to connect mainframes to the modern tech stack. The Zowe Explorer plugin is just an initial stage for us. The plugin is continuously growing with new features. It incorporates the core concept of interacting with a mainframe and we are also aiming to meet developers’ needs. As such, we plan to develop other plugins and extensions for code highlighting, auto completion, and features for mainframe-specific languages and tools. To cover as much of DevOps pipeline stages as possible, we are developing the Zowe zDevOps Jenkins plugin. In cooperation with Broadcom on the Zowe platform, we are developing a plugin for PL/1. To simplify test automation using the Galasa framework, we are developing a plugin for IntelliJ IDEA and an extension for VS Code. Overall, we have great tasks ahead!
I became involved in the project from the very beginning. At a hackathon held in 2020, one of our teams tried to develop an application for IntelliJ IDEA to help developers write mainframe code. They also experimented with AI models. Eventually, I came up with an idea to translate this experience into practical terms. I suggested that we develop an interface for working with the mainframe from the IntelliJ IDEA. In addition to tasks in architecture, I am also involved in software development for the project and prepare a training course in Zowe for young developers. This year, the Zowe community qualified me as a Zowe Ambassador, which is a great honor for me. The inclusion of our Zowe Explorer plugin for IntelliJ in the Zowe core serves as a recognition of our excellence and contribution to the Open Mainframe Project.
The inclusion of our Zowe Explorer plugin for IntelliJ in the Zowe core is an important milestone for IBA Group. We started contributing to Zowe in 2020, following the invitation from Broadcom and the Zowe team. Why are we doing this? The project keeps us innovative, and promotes open source and DevOps practices on the mainframe to our customers. Cooperation with Zowe helps us attract new talent and bridge the cultural and generation gap within our mainframe teams. In simple terms, we introduce Zowe, open source, and DevOps. This makes our developers more productive and motivated. As a result, customers adopt our approach in their teams and they in turn become more efficient. The Zowe Explorer plugin for IntelliJ is just the beginning. We are committed to the adoption of new technologies that will change the landscape of the future.
About Zowe
Zowe is a contributor-led community with participating vendors such as, but are not limited to, Broadcom, IBM, Phoenix Software, Rocket Software, Vicom Infinity, and IBA Group. As a result of their extensive collaboration, the following Zowe extensions have been transformed in Zowe V3:
- The Zowe Explorer for IntelliJ provides the developers within the IntelliJ IDEA with the capability to work with the z/OS platform.
- Kotlin and Java SDKs are Generally Available Extensions simplifying interaction with z/OS from the Java and Kotlin applications.
- The IMS service and the current CLI extensions are archived. IBM is working on replacements.
About the Open Mainframe Project
The Open Mainframe Project is intended to serve as a focal point for deployment and use of Linux and open source in a mainframe environment. With a vision of open source on the mainframe as the standard for enterprise-class systems and applications, the project’s mission is to build community and adopt open source on the mainframe by eliminating barriers to open source adoption on the mainframe, demonstrating value of the mainframe on technical and business levels, and strengthening collaboration points and resources for the community to thrive. Learn more about the Open Mainframe Project and about Zowe’s Long Term Support (LTS) V3 Release.