Programming Language Environments

z/VM® supports many programming languages and applications. Some of the languages and applications supported and discussed throughout this manual are:
  • Ada
  • APL2*
  • Assembler
  • C
  • C++
  • COBOL
  • FORTRAN
  • Language Environment®
  • MQSeries®
  • Pascal
  • PL/I
  • REXX
  • VisualAge® Generator
Note: If you want to use Java™ in a z/VM environment, consider using Java for Linux™ running in a Linux® guest.

The programming language environments are intended for anyone involved in planning or writing application programs. Application programmers use most of the programming language environments. Some languages, such as assembler, are of special interest to system programmers. Compiled high-level languages such as COBOL, PL/I, and FORTRAN use the same I/O interface on both MVS and z/VM. All compiled, high-level languages use the OS/MVS Simulation Interface when running on z/VM. If you run the same program on MVS and z/VM using the subset of the interface that OS/MVS Simulation supports, then the results should be equivalent. The most significant difference is that many conditions that result in abends in MVS are either ignored or simply give an error message in z/VM. See the z/VM: CMS Application Development Guide for Assembler for more information on OS/MVS Simulation.

The following documents provide information about programs that run on z/VM:
  • Licensed Products Migration Matrix for VM lists IBM licensed programs. It is available at:
    • IBM®: z/VM Operating Systemrelated
  • Software Vendors' Products That Will Run on VM lists non-IBM programs. It is available at:
    • IBM: z/VM Operating Systemvendor

Another source of information about supported products is the IBM Global Solutions Directory.