Overview of IBM z/OS Debugger

IBM® z/OS® Debugger is the next iteration of IBM debug technology on IBM Z and consolidates the IBM Integrated Debugger and IBM Debug Tool engines into one unified technology.

IBM z/OS Debugger is a host component that supports various debug interfaces, such as Eclipse and Visual Studio Code IDEs. IBM z/OS Debugger and the supported debug interfaces are provided with the following products:
IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition
This product is included in IBM Application Delivery Foundation for z/OS. IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition provides all the debug features.
IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition currently provides debug functions in the following integrated development environments (IDEs):
  • IBM Developer for z/OS on VS Code, through IBM Z® Open Debug
  • IBM Developer for z/OS on Eclipse
IBM Developer for z/OS Select
This product is a software bundle that contain a subset of IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition capabilities. It includes debug functions in the following integrated development environments (IDEs) except for the features noted in Table 1.
  • IBM Developer for z/OS on VS Code, through IBM Z Open Debug
  • IBM Developer for z/OS on Eclipse
IBM Developer for z/OS
IBM Developer for z/OS is a subset of IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition. IBM Developer for z/OS, previously known as IBM Developer for z Systems or IBM Rational® Developer for z Systems®, is an Eclipse-based integrated development environment for creating and maintaining z/OS applications efficiently.
IBM Developer for z/OS includes all enhancements in IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition except for the debug features noted in Table 1.
IBM Debug for z/OS
IBM Debug for z/OS is a subset of IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition. IBM Debug for z/OS focuses on debugging solutions for z/OS application developers. See Table 1 for the debug features supported.
IBM Debug for z/OS does not provide advanced developer features that are available in IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition.
For information about how to install the IBM Debug for z/OS Eclipse IDE, see Installing the IBM Debug for z/OS Eclipse IDE.
IBM Test Accelerator for Z
IBM Test Accelerator for Z is a comprehensive test automation and generation framework purpose-built for z/OS developers and testers.
IBM Test Accelerator for Z primarily includes the Dynamic Test Engine feature from z/OS Debugger, integration for debugging and collecting code coverage of tests in the IDE and a command line interface for tests created with IBM Test Accelerator for Z.
Table 1 maps out the features that differ in products. Not all the available features are listed. To find the features available in different remote IDEs, see Table 2.
Table 1. Debug feature comparison
  IBM Debug for z/OS IBM Developer for z/OS IBM Developer for z/OS Select IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition IBM Test Accelerator for Z
Main features
3270 interface, including z/OS Debugger Utilities √     √  
Eclipse IDE, see Table 2 for feature details.1 √ √ √ √ √6
IBM Z Open Debug provided with the IBM Developer for z/OS on VS Code IDE, see Table 2 for feature details.1     √ √ √6
Code Coverage features
Compiled Language Code Coverage2 √ √ 3 √ √ √6
Headless Code Coverage √ √ √ √ √6
IBM Compiled Code Coverage provided with the IBM Developer for z/OS on VS Code IDE (2), see Table 3 for feature details.1     √ √ √6
3270 features
z/OS Debugger full screen, batch or line mode √     √ √6
IMS Isolation support √     √  
Test Command Line Interface         √6
Compiler support features
Assembler support: Create EQALANGX files √ √ √ √  
Assembler support: Debugging 4 √ √ √ √  
LangX COBOL support 5 √ √ √ √  
Support for Automatic Binary Optimizer (ABO) √ √ √ √  
Notes:
  1. The following features are supported only in remote debug mode:
    • Support for 64-bit COBOL feature of z/OS for COBOL v6.3 and later
    • Support for 64-bit Enterprise PL/I for z/OS Version 5 and later
    • Support for 64-bit C/C++ feature of z/OS
    • Support for Open Enterprise SDK for Go 1.21, 1.22, 1.23, 1.24 and 1.25.
    • Support for Open XL C/C++ v1.1 for z/OS
  2. Code coverage does not support Go programs.
  3. IBM Developer for z/OS includes z/OS Debugger remote debug and compiled code coverage Eclipse interface.
  4. Debugging assembler requires that you have EQALANGX files that have been created via ADFz Common Components or a product that ships the ADFz Common Components.
  5. LangX COBOL refers to any of the following programs:
    • A program compiled with the IBM OS/VS COBOL compiler.
    • A program compiled with the IBM VS COBOL II compiler with the NOTEST compiler option.
    • A program compiled with the IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 3, 4, or 6 compiler with the NOTEST compiler option.
  6. When only a registration for IBM Test Accelerator for Z exists, you can only debug or run code coverage against unit tests, regardless of IDE or 3270.
Table 2. Remote IDE debug feature comparison
Feature Eclipse-based debug interface IBM Z Open Debug 1,6
Integration with Language Editors6
  • COBOL Editor2
  • PL/I Editor2
  • Remote C/C++ Editor2
  • System z LPEX Editor2
  • Z Open Editor
Visual Debug √2,6  
Debug profile management √6 √
IMS Isolation UI √3  
Integration with CICS Explorer views √ 2  
Integration with property groups √2,6  
Integrated launch6
  • z/OS UNIX Application launch configuration
  • z/OS Batch Application using existing JCL
  • z/OS Batch Application using a property group
  • IBM Test Accelerator for Z Unit Test Early Development Testing launch configurations
  
Content Assist for JCL   √
Modules √  
Memory √  
Program navigation
Step over/Next √ √
Step into/Step in √ √
Step return/Step out √ √
Jump to location √6  
Run to location/Run to cursor √6 √
Resume/Continue √ √
Terminate √ √
Animated step √  
Playback √6  
Breakpoints
Statement breakpoints √ √
Entry breakpoints √  
Source entry breakpoints √6  
Event breakpoint √6  
Address breakpoint √6  
Watch breakpoint √6  
Variables & Registers
Variables √ √
Registers √ √4
Modifying variable and register values √ √
Setting variable filter √5  
Changing variable representation √  
Displaying in memory view √  
Monitors
Displaying monitor √ √
Modifying monitor value √  
Changing variable representation √  
Debug Console
Evaluating variables and expressions   √
z/OS Debugger commands √6  
Notes:
  1. IBM Z Open Debug is provided with IBM Developer for z/OS on VS Code.
  2. This feature is not available in IBM Debug for z/OS.
  3. This feature is only available in IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition.
  4. Registers are available in the Variables view.
  5. The automonitor filters do not support programs complied with Open Enterprise SDK for Go or Open XL C/C++ for z/OS.
  6. Programs compiled with IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Go are not supported.
Table 3. Remote IDE code coverage feature comparison
Feature Eclipse-based code coverage interface IBM Compiled Code Coverage 1,2
Reports √ √
Integration with Language Editors2
  • COBOL Editor2
  • PL/I Editor2
  • Remote C/C++ Editor2
  • System z LPEX Editor2
 Web view only
Integration with property groups √ 3
Integrated launch (2)
  • z/OS UNIX Application launch configuration
  • z/OS Batch Application using existing JCL
  • z/OS Batch Application using a property group
  • Test Accelerator for Z Early Development Testing for Eclipse Unit Test launch configurations
  • Test Accelerator for Z Early Development Testing for VS Code Unit Test execution
Content Assist for JCL √
Locations
  • Workspace
  • RSE
  • Local
  • CCS
  • CCS
Results
  • Open
  • Filter
  • Compare
  • Rename
  • Delete
  • Export (CCZip, SonarQube, PDF, Cobertura)
  • Import
  • Properties
  • Open
  • Delete
  • Rename
  • Export (PDF)
  • Properties
Threshold configuration √  
Concurrent Debug and Code Coverage √  
Notes:
  1. IBM Z Open Debug is provided with IBM Developer for z/OS on VS Code
  2. Programs compiled with IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Go are not supported.
  3. This feature is not available in IBM Debug for z/OS.