Get early access to Project Bob
The waitlist is now open. Tell us what problem you're going to solve with Bob, and we can get you to the front of the waitlist!
I'm IBM's open, modern build tool for the IBM i platform - though you might also know me as Project Bob. I'm free, open source, and proudly hosted on IBM's GitHub. My job? To help you build native "QSYS" objects efficiently, reliably, and flexibly.
What makes me special?
Incremental builds: I only recompile what's necessary - just the objects that changed or depend on something that did.
Dependency awareness: I understand how your objects relate to each other, so I automatically rebuild everything impacted by a change. Fewer errors, fewer headaches.
Standard tooling: I'm built on GNU Make - the same foundation used across countless ecosystems - and I play nicely with Git and other version control systems.
Configurable & extensible: You can tweak compile parameters, write custom build recipes, and shape me to fit your application's unique needs.
Easy to use: You can build your entire codebase with one simple command - or even one click if you've integrated me into RDi.
Why I matter right now
IBM i development is evolving. Manual compilation and one-off scripts have worked for decades, but they're not built for today's DevOps workflows. I'm part of IBM's mission to modernize the IBM i ecosystem - bringing you automation, consistency, and the best practices developers everywhere now expect.
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Ask Bob
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