Language Environment

Language Environment® provides common services and language-specific routines in a single run-time environment. It ensures consistent and predictable results for your language applications, independent of the language they are written in.

Language Environment is the prerequisite run-time environment for applications generated with the following IBM® compiler products:
  • z/OS® XL C/C++ (feature of z/OS)
  • z/OS C/C++
  • OS/390® C/C++
  • C/C++ for MVS/ESA
  • C/C++ for z/VM®
  • XL C/C++ for z/VM
  • AD/Cycle C/370
  • Start of changeIBM Toolkit for Swift on z/OSEnd of change
  • VisualAge® for Java™, Enterprise Edition for OS/390
  • Enterprise COBOL for z/OS
  • Enterprise COBOL for z/OS and OS/390
  • COBOL for OS/390 & VM
  • COBOL for MVS™ & VM (formerly COBOL/370)
  • Enterprise PL/I for z/OS
  • Enterprise PL/I for z/OS and OS/390
  • VisualAge PL/I
  • PL/I for MVS & VM (formerly PL/I MVS & VM)
  • VS FORTRAN and FORTRAN IV (in compatibility mode)

Language Environment supports the VS FORTRAN compiler's object/load module compatibility, which means FORTRAN load modules can be run under Language Environment and object code can be link-edited with Language Environment and run under it. Language Environment also provides a set of assembler macros for running assembler language routines.

Language Environment supports, but is not required for, an interactive debug tool for debugging applications in your native z/OS environment. The interactive IBM Debug Tool is available with the latest release of the PL/I compiler or this product can be ordered separately for use with the IBM XL C/C++, COBOL, and PL/I compilers on z/OS. For more information, see Debug Tool Utilities and Advanced Functions.

Some benefits are that you can:
  • Mix old code with new code.
  • Handle conditions, such as program checks or abends, in your COBOL programs without having to use assembler.
  • Share common run-time services.
  • Run applications that conform to the POSIX 1003.1 standard or the X/Open Single UNIX Specification, also known as UNIX 95 or XPG4.2.
  • Access CICS® and IMS transactions and data through a C, COBOL, or PL/I server from any client in your network.
  • Perform interlanguage communication more efficiently.
  • Manage storage dynamically for your C/C++, COBOL, and PL/I routines with a common storage manager.
  • Access a rich set of math services.