I´m well versed on devops but not in Mainframe and COBOL development. I wonder how DevOps practices are implemented (or not) ? Any specific tooling?  I would appreciate your guidance on this matter.  Regards, Alex

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Alejandro Mercado
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Hi Alex,

There is of course also DevOps for the mainframe and it absolutely makes sense to implement it.
The overall concepts are the same, but the details differ quite a lot. It starts with the version concept, having a kind of incremental approach, instead of just deploying the whole application (as you would for Java with the JAR file etc.).

While some tools may be the same (e.g. the pipeline orchestrator), the build process is mostly based on IBM's Dependency Based Build (either zAppBuild or zBuilder) which has to be adjusted to each companies environment. There are multiple options for deployment, the most used ones are IBM DevOps Deploy (used to be called Urban Code Deploy) or IBM wazi Deploy.

If you want to try it out a bit, this Guided Hands On Lab is a great starting point: https://early-access.ibm.com/software/support/trial/cst/welcomepage.wss?siteId=2317&tabId=6530&w=1

Regards,
Philipp

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Philipp Kremling
Consultant for IBM Z / Mainframe Modernization
CROZ DACH
Munich
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Dear AZlex,

for an endf-to-end mainframe DevOps solution you can have a look at Kobee.

See Accelerating DevOps for IBM mainframes: Unlocking Potential with Kobee and IBM DevOps Tools.

Ibm		remove preview
Accelerating DevOps for IBM mainframes: Unlocking Potential with Kobee and IBM DevOps Tools. Discover the evolution of development practices with robust CI/CD solutions for mainframes. Explore how IBM's modern tools like Git, DBB, and Wazi aaS, coupled with the orchestration power of Kobee, streamline workflows for a more efficient, automated z/OS environment. Learn about Kobee's key offerings and integration capabilities, driving seamless DevOps for mainframes. View this on Ibm >

blog.

Kobee recently also made ot to the IBM LinuxONE and Linux on Z Solutions Catalog (IBM Z and LinuxONE Solutions Catalog

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IBM Z and LinuxONE Solutions Catalog Find IBM Z and LinuxONE software and solutions provided by independent software vendors (ISVs) worldwide View this on Ibm >

)

Kind regards,

René

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[René] [De Vleeschauwer]
[CEO]
[IKAN DEVELOPMENT][Mechelen] [Belgium]
[+32 15 79 73 06]
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Original Message:
Sent: Mon April 20, 2026 02:42 AM
From: Philipp Kremling
Subject: How is DevOps implemented in COBOL development and Mainframe ?

Hi Alex,

There is of course also DevOps for the mainframe and it absolutely makes sense to implement it.
The overall concepts are the same, but the details differ quite a lot. It starts with the version concept, having a kind of incremental approach, instead of just deploying the whole application (as you would for Java with the JAR file etc.).

While some tools may be the same (e.g. the pipeline orchestrator), the build process is mostly based on IBM's Dependency Based Build (either zAppBuild or zBuilder) which has to be adjusted to each companies environment. There are multiple options for deployment, the most used ones are IBM DevOps Deploy (used to be called Urban Code Deploy) or IBM wazi Deploy.

If you want to try it out a bit, this Guided Hands On Lab is a great starting point: https://early-access.ibm.com/software/support/trial/cst/welcomepage.wss?siteId=2317&tabId=6530&w=1

Regards,
Philipp

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Philipp Kremling
Consultant for IBM Z / Mainframe Modernization
CROZ DACH
Munich
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