Below are some of the key benefits for mainframe applications development:

• Streamlined CI/CD with z/OS-specific Templates and DBB Integration
  IBM’s GitLab templates for z/OS, combined with z/OS-native Runner support, provide pre-configured, reusable pipeline configurations tailored for mainframe environments. These templates are tightly integrated with IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition (IDzEE), leveraging Dependency Based Build (DBB) to automate and optimize the build process for enterprise applications written in COBOL, PL/I and HLASM. DBB analyzes dependencies and incrementally builds only modified components, reducing build times and resource usage. This integration enables first-class execution of CI/CD pipelines on z/OS, eliminating manual processes and accelerating delivery of mission-critical applications.

• Unified Platform for Collaboration
  Mainframe development teams often face silos due to legacy tools. GitLab’s unified DevSecOps platform, enhanced by z/OS templates and IDzEE integration, standardises workflows across mainframe, cloud-native, web, and mobile development. Developers can use Git for source control and merge requests, while IDzEE’s DBB ensure consistent build processes of enterprise applications. This fosters collaboration between mainframe and other teams, aligning with enterprise digital transformation goals.

• Enhanced Security with the z/OS-native Runner and ZCodeScan Integration
  Security is critical for mainframe applications in regulated industries like finance and healthcare. To that end, all GitLab runners, including the runner on z/OS communicate with the GitLab CI/CD pipelines over HTTPS, entirely through connections initiated from the Runner to the server and never in reverse. The advantage here is that you can install a runner behind a firewall and as long as the runner has outbound access to the GitLab server. In the case of a runner on z/OS, this allows high security with no open port to the outside world of the mainframe. Also, GitLab CI/CD pipelines can integrate with ZCodeScan  (part of IDzEE), enabling automated code scanning for vulnerabilities and compliance issues in mainframe-specific languages like COBOL. This “shift-left” approach embeds security testing early in the pipeline, reducing risks and ensuring compliance with standards like GDPR or HIPAA. The tight integration ensures scans are tailored to z/OS environments, while GitLab’s broader security tools (e.g., SAST, DAST) complement zCodeScan for comprehensive protection.

• Automated Deployment with Wazi Deploy
  The z/OS templates integrate with Wazi Deploy, an IDzEE capability that automates and standardizes application deployment to z/OS environments. Wazi Deploy simplifies the deployment of artifacts (loadmodules, DBRMs, JCLs, and more) across development, test, and production environments, ensuring consistency and reducing errors. Combined with GitLab’s pipeline orchestration, this enables end-to-end automation from code commit to deployment, accelerating release cycles while maintaining the reliability of enterprise applications.

• Cost Efficiency and Simplified Toolchains
  Legacy mainframe tools are often fragmented. GitLab’s single platform, with z/OS templates and IDzEE integration, replaces disparate toolchains with streamlined workflows. DBB optimises builds, ZCodeScan automates quality checks, and Wazi Deploy simplifies deployments, reducing licensing and maintenance costs. This unified approach lowers operational overhead, allowing organisations to focus resources on innovation.

• Improved Developer Productivity and Talent Appeal
  Traditional mainframe tools like ISPF can deter developers accustomed to modern tooling. GitLab for IBM Z, integrated with IDzEE’s modern IDE offerings can help there too as mainframe developers have the choice amongst IDzEE of using the Eclipse-based version, IDz on Eclipse, or the Visual Studio Code one, IDz on VS Code or even a Cloud-hosted development environment such as Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces, with IDz on Cloud. This makes mainframe development accessible to all kind of talents, including new ones, addressing the talent gap from retiring experts.

• Incremental Modernization Without Disruption
  The z/OS templates, coupled with IDzEE’s DBB, ZCodeScan, and Wazi Deploy, enable incremental modernization. Teams can adopt DevSecOps practices without disrupting existing z/OS operations, transitioning legacy workflows to modern CI/CD pipelines at their own pace. This ensures business continuity for high-value mainframe transactions while aligning with cloud-native strategies.

• End-to-End Visibility and Traceability
  GitLab provides end-to-end visibility across the development lifecycle, with z/OS templates and IDzEE integration ensuring standardised pipeline execution. DBB tracks dependencies, ZCodeScan logs code quality metrics, and Wazi Deploy maintains deployment records, supporting compliance in regulated industries. Features like GitLab’s epics and milestones enhance traceability, aligning development with business objectives.

GitLab for IBM Z, with its z/OS templates tightly integrated with IDzEE’s DBB, ZCodeScan, and Wazi Deploy, empowers mainframe developers to build, scan, and deploy enterprise applications efficiently. As noted by an industry analyst, this partnership with IBM modernizes mainframe development, making it agile and collaborative while leveraging IDzEE’s advanced capabilities for z/OS environments.

By combining GitLab’s DevSecOps platform with z/OS templates and IDzEE’s DBB, zCodeScan, and Wazi Deploy, mainframe application development becomes faster, more secure, and seamlessly integrated with modern practices, transforming legacy systems into agile enterprise assets. If you need details on configuring these templates or specific IDzEE integrations, let us know!