IBM i Platform Foundations
Learn how IBM i actually works — objects, libraries, jobs, and tools — before writing a single line of RPG.
TARGET: Complete beginners, career changers, COBOL migrants
Get all 12 lessons in this course with lifetime access.
What Is IBM i: Architecture, Objects, and Libraries
IBM i looks unfamiliar the moment you leave the 5250 screen — there's no drive letter, no folder tree, and file names don't work the way they do everywhere else. This lesson lays t
The IBM i Job Model: Jobs, Queues, Subsystems
Every program you run on IBM i executes inside a job, and every job runs inside a subsystem — understanding that structure is the difference between guessing why something is slow
Source Physical Files, Members, and the IFS
IBM i has two very different ways to store source code: traditional source physical files with members, and the Integrated File System (IFS), which looks and behaves like a modern
PDM and SEU: The Traditional Development Environment
Before modern tooling, PDM and SEU were how every IBM i developer worked — and they're still in daily use in countless shops today. This lesson orients you to the classic green-scr
RDi Setup and Navigation for Modern Development
Rational Developer for i (RDi) brings IBM i development into a modern, Eclipse-based IDE — syntax checking, outline views, and integrated debugging that green-screen tools were nev
CL Commands Every RPG Developer Must Know
Control Language (CL) is how you operate the system itself — compiling objects, managing libraries, and controlling jobs. This lesson covers the core CL commands every RPG develope
Understanding Objects: *PGM, *MODULE, *SRVPGM, *FILE
The ILE object model — programs, modules, service programs, and files — is the backbone of everything you'll build on this platform. This lesson breaks down what each object type a
DB2 for i: Tables, Views, Indexes, and Journaling
DB2 for i isn't a separate product bolted onto IBM i — it's built directly into the operating system, and every RPG application depends on it. This lesson introduces the core datab
How Enterprise IBM i Applications Are Structured
A real IBM i application isn't one giant program — it's a coordinated set of programs, service programs, files, and menus working together. This lesson shows you how enterprise app
Display Files, Printer Files, and Database Files Overview
Display files, printer files, and database files all share the *FILE object type, but each serves a completely different purpose in an application. This lesson gives you a working
Security Basics: Authority, User Profiles, and Adopted Authority
Object authority determines who can do what on the system, and adopted authority is the mechanism behind a huge share of production application security. This lesson covers the fun
Consolidation: Navigating a Real IBM i Environment
This closing lesson ties together everything from architecture and objects to security and application structure into one practical walkthrough of a real IBM i environment. It's th