eXplain is a market-leading code analysis tool designed to transform legacy software systems, particularly those running on IBM Z (mainframe and IBM Power i (AS400 platforms. It facilitates the replacement, redevelopment, or modernization of legacy applications by providing comprehensive insights into existing codebases. By uploading program sources to the eXplain server—without the need for host installation—organizations can centralize their code analysis, leading to accelerated project success and a reduction in onboarding time for new developers by up to 50%.
Key Features and Functionality:
- Comprehensive Code Parsing: eXplain supports a wide range of programming languages, including Cobol, PL/I, Assembler, Natural, RPG (IBM i, JCL, CL (IBM i, and REXX. It also accommodates various databases like Db2, Adabas, and IMS-DB, as well as schedulers such as AJM, TWS, and Control-M. Transaction monitors like CICS and IMS-DC are also supported.
- Customizable Parsers: The tool offers 100% coverage of technological peculiarities through its customizable parsers, ensuring adaptability to specific organizational needs.
- Intelligent Dead Code Detection: eXplain can reduce legacy source code by up to 40% through intelligent dead code detection, streamlining the codebase and improving maintainability.
- Quality Analysis Dashboard: The QA dashboard presents code quality metrics in a compressed and visually appealing format, aiding in measuring complexity, maturity, and progress of modernization efforts.
- Performance Optimization: For IBM Z/mainframe applications, eXplain integrates with common schedulers to visualize job networks, enabling proactive optimization of time-critical processes and cost savings identification.
Primary Value and Problem Solved:
eXplain addresses the challenges associated with legacy applications, which often have a reputation for being outdated and difficult to manage. By providing a systematic analysis of IBM legacy code, eXplain helps organizations uncover the true value within their existing systems. It enables developers to recognize connections, data flows, redundancies, and inconsistencies, thereby accelerating project work by approximately 30% and facilitating the training of new employees twice as quickly. Additionally, eXplain's ability to identify non-relevant areas allows teams to focus on key challenges, ensuring efficient, error-free communication and holistic decision-making in legacy modernization projects.
