The venerable world of mainframes is undergoing a revolution. Gone are the days of siloed processes and manual deployments. Enter GitHub Actions for Mainframes, a game-changer in the realm of automating your CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery) pipeline. This article delves deep into the practicalities of leveraging GitHub Actions for your mainframe applications, showcasing its capabilities and guiding you through real-world examples to elevate your development workflow to new heights.

Why GitHub Actions for Mainframe CI/CD?

Traditionally, mainframe CI/CD pipelines were often cumbersome and complex, relying on bespoke scripting and specialized tools. GitHub Actions changes the game by offering a robust, user-friendly platform for orchestrating your entire CI/CD workflow, right from your familiar Git environment. Consider it a Swiss Army knife for automating your mainframe development cycle, providing an arsenal of tools to streamline every step from code commits to production deployments.

Key Benefits of GitHub Actions for Mainframe CI/CD:

• Simplified Automation: Drag-and-drop workflow creation, pre-built actions for common tasks, and intuitive YAML scripting pave the way for easy automation, even for those less familiar with scripting languages.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Integrate seamlessly with your existing GitHub setup, fostering collaboration and transparency within your development team. Imagine a world where everyone gets notified about build failures and successes right within their GitHub workspace.
• Flexible Workflow Customization: Customize workflows to cater to your specific needs, regardless of programming languages, build tools, or testing frameworks. Think of it as crafting a bespoke CI/CD pipeline that perfectly fits your development environment.
• Reduced Costs and Complexity: Eliminate the need for expensive, specialized automation tools and simplify your development infrastructure. Imagine freeing up valuable resources for what truly matters – innovation and business value.
• Faster Release Cycles and Error Detection: Automate builds, tests, and deployments, enabling rapid releases and identifying errors early in the pipeline, preventing them from reaching production. Think of it as a speedboat compared to a clunky rowboat, propelling your releases smoother and faster.

Getting Started with GitHub Actions for Mainframes:

Before diving into specific examples, let’s set the stage:

1. Pre-requisites: Ensure you have a GitHub account for your project and access to a z/OS system with tools like Zowe CLI and Git installed.
2. Workflow Configuration: Familiarize yourself with YAML syntax and GitHub Actions workflow structure. Think of it as learning the language of automation, a set of instructions for GitHub to understand and execute.

Example 1: Automating JCL Generation and JUnit Testing:

Imagine working on a COBOL application with multiple programs requiring JCL generation for execution. Here’s how GitHub Actions can streamline the process:

• Workflow File: Create a .yml file in your repository defining the CI/CD pipeline stages.
• Stage 1: Code Checkout: Use the actions/checkout action to retrieve the latest code from your GitHub repository.
• Stage 2: JCL Generation: Utilize the zowe/jcl-generate action to automatically generate JCL scripts based on your COBOL programs. Imagine this action as a JCL factory, churning out scripts accurately and efficiently.
• Stage 3: JUnit Testing: Employ the maven/maven-publish action to trigger JUnit testing of your COBOL programs using tools like BMS Copybook Tester or CA Plex. Think of this as a quality inspector, meticulously checking your code for errors before they go live.
• Stage 4: Build and Deployment: Leverage the ibm/ibmi-sftp-upload action to upload the compiled programs and JCL scripts to your z/OS system. Consider this the delivery truck, securely transporting your application components to their destination.
• Notifications and Reporting: Configure notifications (via Slack or email) for successful and failed builds, providing instant visibility into the deployment process. Imagine a real-time tracker keeping you informed every step of the way.