IBM Rational Developer for i review
A paid Eclipse IDE for IBM i teams, with broad language and remote-development tooling.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
IBM Rational Developer for i is a paid, Eclipse-based desktop integrated development environment for creating, maintaining and modernizing applications on IBM i. It is aimed at development teams working across IBM i systems and related languages, with tools for searching, editing, building, code analysis, refactoring and debugging. The environment supports Windows, macOS and Linux, and covers RPG, COBOL, C, C++, DDS and SQL development alongside Java-adjacent workflows.
Its plan structure is designed around entitlement and access patterns rather than a free tier. The Free trial enables all features during a 120-day evaluation. Authorized User provides dedicated use of a single entitlement, with a perpetual entitlement and one year of subscription and support. Floating User Single Install provides a shared perpetual entitlement for multiple users, limited to one user at a time. Floating, Single Install Fixed Term provides a fixed-term shared entitlement with subscription and support for the term.
The product’s strongest fit is its connection to IBM i development operations. Remote System Explorer supports server-side file management and server-script execution, while host-connected and disconnected development support different working modes. Integrations include IBM Rational Team Concert, IBM i servers and eGit. The current 9.9 release is marketed primarily around RPG and COBOL development, and IBM describes the current product evolution as one edition, RPG and COBOL Tools. Teams needing a broad IBM i environment with multiple language tools, debugging and remote workflows should consider it; teams seeking a Java-first environment should look for a tool whose current positioning is more directly centered on Java development.
Questions about IBM Rational Developer for i
Is there a free trial of IBM Rational Developer for i? Yes: a 120-day free trial.
What does IBM Rational Developer for i run on? Windows, macOS and Linux. It runs as a desktop app.
What does IBM Rational Developer for i integrate with? 3 integrations: IBM Rational Team Concert, IBM i servers and eGit.
Who is IBM Rational Developer for i built for? Mid-market companies and enterprises (our editorial estimate).
IBM Rational Developer for i pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Remote System Explorer supports IBM i server work
- Includes refactoring, debugging, build and code-analysis tools
- Supports RPG, COBOL, C, C++, DDS and SQL development
- Where it doesn't
- Paid product with no free plan
- Current positioning centers on RPG and COBOL
- Java-focused capabilities are less central to the current edition
IBM Rational Developer for i fact sheet, pricing and score →
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