Remote debug mode

In remote debug mode, the host application starts z/OS® Debugger, which communicates through a TCP/IP connection to a remote debugger on your Windows, Linux or macOS workstation.

z/OS Debugger can work with the remote GUI in IBM® Developer for z Systems™, IBM Z Open Development, or IBM Z Open Unit Test to provide you with the ability to debug host programs, including batch programs, through a graphical user interface (GUI) on the workstation.

IBM z/OS Debugger supports two modes of remote debugging:
Standard mode
Uses the Program Information and Control Library (PICL) engine technology. With the PICL technology, part of the processing is performed in the client machine, which can reduce the overhead in the z/OS system. The following features are provided in the standard mode only:
  • Integration with IBM Fault Analyzer for setting deferred breakpoints
  • Support for 64 bit Enterprise PL/I for z/OS Version 5
  • Support for 64 bit C/C++ feature of z/OS
Note: Standard mode is not available in IBM Z Open Development or IBM Z Open Unit Test.
Debug Tool compatibility mode
Uses the remote debug engine from the former Debug Tool for z/OS to perform all host debugging tasks. This mode supports all features that were available in Debug Tool for z/OS.
IBM z/OS Debugger is progressing towards one remote debug mode based on Debug Tool compatibility mode. In support of this direction, Debug Tool compatibility mode, when available in the user interface, is selected by default for V14.1.2 or later. Any existing launches, property groups, or updated preferences remain unchanged.
You can enter some z/OS Debugger commands through the remote debugger's Debug Console. For a list of z/OS Debugger commands that you can enter, see "z/OS Debugger commands supported in remote debug mode" in the IBM z/OS Debugger Reference and Messages.

Unless otherwise specified, the information about remote debug mode in IBM z/OS Debugger User's Guide applies only to Debug Tool compatibility mode.

For more information about Remote Debugging, see Remote debugging with IBM z/OS Debugger.

Parent topic: z/OS Debugger interfaces