Why Should You Join an IBM i Community in 2026?
The IBM i ecosystem is evolving rapidly with application modernization, AI adoption, and open-source innovation.
69% of IBM i organizations identify the IBM i skills shortage as their biggest challenge.
~ As per 2026 Fortra IBM i Marketplace Survey.
An IBM i community brings together IBM i developers, AS400 developers, and seasoned IBM i experts. They will have a platform to share their knowledge, solve critical IBM i problems, and stay abreast of the latest IBM i technology updates.
You can join if you wish to –
- Deepen your RPG expertise
- Learn & discuss IBM i modernization ideas
- Learn from the experience of seasoned IBM i professionals
IBM i community offers pragmatic IBM i insights, expert takes, and opportunities to collaborate with one and all.
| Community Benefit | Business / Career Value |
| Learn from IBM i experts | Faster problem solving |
| Ask technical questions | Practical guidance |
| Share RPG & COBOL knowledge | Stronger collaboration |
| Stay updated | Continuous learning |
| Build professional network | Career growth |
| Discover best practices | Better IBM i development |
What is an IBM i Community?
An IBM i Community is a network of IBM i developers, IBM i experts, AS400 developers, and technology leaders who collaborate to share knowledge, solve technical challenges, and advance the IBM i platform.
The AS400 Community supports learning, modernization, professional networking, and the exchange of best practices that strengthen long-term IBM i success.
Who should Join an IBM i Community?
An IBM i Community benefits IBM i developers, AS400 developers, system administrators, IT leaders, and modernization teams looking to expand expertise, solve challenges, exchange best practices, and stay current with the evolving IBM i platform.
- If you are a veteran in the AS400 field and want to share new ideas, show proven practices and give practical suggestions
- If you are new to the AS400 field and want to learn from other members of the community
- If you are a working professional and want to collaborate through threaded discussions, conversations, and interactions
- Or you want to innovate yourself through brainstorming and want to stay updated with emerging trends and developments in the AS400 field
- Connect with the people who know about the AS400 technical skills than you
| Role | Community Value |
| IBM i Developers | Solve coding challenges |
| RPG Developers | Share best practices |
| COBOL Developers | Learn modernization techniques |
| System Administrators | Discuss IBM i operations |
| Beginners | Learn from experienced professionals |
Why do IBM i Developers Join Communities?
IBM i developers join the IBM i Community to learn modern development practices, solve technical challenges faster, collaborate with IBM i experts, share knowledge, and build professional networks that strengthen long-term IBM i and AS400 expertise.
Learn from Active IBM i Practitioners
One of the advantages of the IBM i community is it allows people to engage with experts.
For example, a professional stuck somewhere in coding and not getting support from his community or facing difficulty in resolving the problem. IBM i community is excellent for keeping you involved with the topics that you are interested in.
Solve IBM i Problems Faster
Just when you thought you knew everything, someone posts something new.
IBM i community is an excellent source of information, which can help you to be more productive.
With top experts and veterans contributing to the field, the possibilities are endless!
There are plenty of intelligent and creative people in the community who share tips for the rest of the community.
Stay Current with IBM i Technologies
You can always be assured about the accuracy of the information you’ll get from the community.
The community will bring IBM i technology lovers of all ages from all over the world together.
Get Answer within 24 Hours
The community has a turnaround rate of 24 hours for answering a question, which makes it an excellent place to ask queries and answer questions asked by other people.
Feedback is always welcomed, especially from people who enjoy the same things you do.
The best-case situation is that you will get to know the most seen questions.
However, to receive an answer within 24 hours, make sure that the question asked by you is not requested by someone else before you. And, don’t forget to be an active member of the community to learn more.
What Makes Integrative Systems’ IBM i Community Different?
Generally, communities are groups of people who share a specialty, interest, or a set of common problems. Keeping this common interest in mind, Integrative Systems (a pioneer company in Custom Software Development & Web App Development) has launched the IBM i community.
The community is a joint initiative of more than 30 highly experienced and skilled professionals, having more than 20 years of experience in customer problem solving and increasing profitability.
The community serves as an alternative to traditional professional websites for those unfamiliar with managing IBM i/AS400/iSeries software projects or do not have access to those websites.
The community will allow members to deepen their understanding of IBM i and other related technology by interacting on an ongoing basis, asking and answering questions, sharing information, solving problems, and developing new and better ways of doing things.
Moreover, the community is unique as the industry experts themselves control it and not any third party.
Everyone, irrespective of their designation and rank in professional space, is allowed to ask questions from the IBM i veterans and get answers within 24 hours. This community is a golden platform if anyone is willing to learn RPG/COBOL/DB2 and enhance his/her skill, without any fees.
Features of Integrative Systems’ IBM i Community
Upvotes
Upvoting answers is one of the unique features that you will not get anywhere else than the IBM i community. It provides the accurate number of upvotes your answers would get from the people.
Subscribe
IBM i community also gives you the option to subscribe to your favorite topic and people. As a user, you do not need to scroll the feeds to check the activities of the person you have subscribed to, and you will receive instant notification about the updates.
Star of the Day
This is another classic feature of the IBM i community that will help joiners know which questions were seen most and who have contributed most to the community.
How to Join the IBM i Community
Joining the IBM i Community is simple and free. Create your account, verify your email address, and start engaging with IBM i experts, AS400 developers, and fellow community members.
Get Started in Three Simple Steps
1. Sign up using your email address
2. Validate your account with the confirmation email
3. Start participating in discussions, asking questions, and sharing your IBM i perspectives
You are welcome to join the community, no matter if you’re an established IBM i developer, skilled RPG or COBOL programmer, or an IBM i enthusiast. You just have to have the will to learn, collaborate, and contribute.
What Questions Can You Ask in an IBM i Community?
An IBM i Community is a place to discuss real-world technical challenges, exchange ideas, and learn from experienced IBM i experts and AS400 developers.
From basic troubleshooting to suggestions on modernization roadmaps – you can ask anything across the IBM i ecosystem.
Popular discussion topics include –
- RPG programming, free-format RPG, and code optimization
- COBOL application development and maintenance
- DB2 for i queries, database design, and performance tuning
- IBM i application modernization and AI adoption
- CL programming and IBM i system administration
- IBM i security, backup, and high availability
- Open-source development on IBM i using Python, Node.js, and Git
- APIs, web services, and IBM i integration
- SQL performance optimization and database best practices
- Career guidance, certifications, and skill development for IBM i developers
Whether you’re an experienced AS400 developer sharing best practices or a new IBM i developer looking for practical guidance, the community gives you direct access to professionals who have solved similar challenges before.
Why Communities Matter More Than Ever for IBM i Professionals
As IBM i evolves through modernization, AI adoption, and open-source development, continuous learning has become essential for every IBM i developer and AS400 developer.
An active IBM i Community connects IBM i experts and technology professionals to exchange practical knowledge, solve technical challenges, and share proven development practices.
Whether you’re working with RPG, COBOL, DB2, or modern IBM i technologies, community-driven collaboration helps you learn faster, stay current, and strengthen your long-term IBM i expertise.
As organizations continue modernizing their IBM i environments, strong communities will play an increasingly important role in preserving technical knowledge and preparing the next generation of IBM i professionals.
Why Join Integrative Systems’ IBM i Community?
The Integrative Systems IBM i Community brings together IBM i developers, AS400 developers, and IBM i experts to collaborate, solve technical challenges, and share practical knowledge.
Whether you’re working with RPG, COBOL, DB2, or IBM i modernization, you’ll find trusted answers, expert guidance, and meaningful discussions that help you grow your skills and solve problems faster.
Join our IBM i Community to learn, contribute, and stay connected with professionals shaping the future of the IBM i ecosystem.
With 23+ years of experience, Tony is an IT Transformation Leader with deep expertise in IBM i (AS/400) infrastructure, modernization, and cloud enablement. He has led initiatives in high availability, disaster recovery, performance optimization, and hybrid cloud integration.
At Integrative Systems, he strengthens delivery frameworks, enhances service quality, and builds trusted customer partnerships across the IBM i ecosystem. Combining technical depth with strategic leadership, Tony helps organizations futureproof mission-critical IBM i workloads and drive sustainable growth.