V12R1Mnnn application compatibility levels

You can use the application compatibility level of applications, and objects such as routines or triggers, to control the adoption and use of new and changed SQL capabilities that are introduced in function levels. Generally, applications, and routines or triggers, cannot use new or changed SQL capabilities unless the effective application compatibility level is equivalent to or higher than the function level that introduced the changes. The application compatibility level applies to most SQL statements, including data definition statements (such as CREATE and ALTER statements) and data control statements (such as GRANT and REVOKE statements).

The corresponding function level or higher must be activated when you bind packages at an application compatibility level. However, if you activate a lower function level (or * function level), applications can continue to run with the higher application compatibility level. To prevent the continued use of SQL capabilities introduced in the higher function level, you must also modify the application and change the effective application compatibility level to the lower level.

Tip: Extra program preparation steps might be required to increase the application compatibility level for applications that use data server clients or drivers to access Db2 for z/OS®. For more information, see Setting application compatibility levels for data server clients and drivers.