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Two MCPs designed to simplify IBM i development using generative AI

  • 1.  Two MCPs designed to simplify IBM i development using generative AI

    Posted 06/15/26 08:53 AM
    Edited by Hideyuki Yahagi 06/15/26 08:56 AM

    Hello.

    My cat and I have released two MCPs on GitHub designed to make it easier for developers to build IBM i 5250 applications using generative AI tools like Bob and Claude.

    A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides IBM i (AS/400) 5250 terminal emulation, with EBCDIC DBCS (Japanese) support, usable from MCP clients (gen-AIs). This is an experimental 5250 emulator implementation; it is not intended to replace existing 5250 emulators used in production. This is a limited-time release available until July 31, 2026.

    image
    By using this MCP, you can perform operations on 5250 screens using generative AI and the keyboard, execute macros, automate testing (including recording screen shots), and carry out other tasks currently performed using 5250 emulators such as ACS.

    An MCP server that checks compliance with ILE-RPG and DSPF syntax and coding standards. While many generative AI systems excel at free-form languages such as JavaScript, Python, Node.js, HTML, and Markdown, they struggle with RPGs and DDS, which use fixed-format data. In DBCS environments in particular, shift characters often cause significant column misalignment, and a great deal of resources are frequently wasted correcting this. By using this MCP, you can detect digit misalignment in the ILE RPG H/F/D/P/C and DSPF A specifications in advance.

    Many users are still developing RPG programs, including those with column-fixed formats, using PDM/SEU. In addition, the 5250 application is a superior framework that offers high development productivity, is easy to learn, and features security tightly integrated with IBM i. I believe that this MCP plays a crucial role in effectively leveraging these information assets-which have a track record and implementation history spanning nearly half a century-by integrating them with cutting-edge generative AI.


    These works were created in the author's spare time, and the author's organization assumes no responsibility for them. If you find these useful, please post a suggestion on IBM Ideas (https://ideas.ibm.com/) asking IBM to release an official version.

    Have fun!

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    Hideyuki Yahagi @ Japan
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