IBM i Development
Improve Delivery Confidence with our IBM i Developers
Development services for IBM i applications of all types
We’ve worked with organisations both large and small across the UK, Europe and further afield to design and develop innovative, scalable business-critical and complex IBM i applications.
Complete your IBM i development projects on time and on budget
Prevent project delays and cancellations due to a lack of development resources.
We have a large and growing pool of IBM i developers skilled in RPG and COBOL, along with modern languages such as Java, HTML, JSON and PHP.
Development and integration of modern PHP applications
We design and develop bespoke, fully responsive, modern PHP web applications that integrate seamlessly with your IBM i and deliver a smooth experience across devices.
We also specialise in developing custom integrations between your IBM i WMS/ERP/Inventory systems and third-party applications, or building extensions for your core applications, to help future-proof your IBM i against your evolving business needs.
Supporting your IBM i applications into the future
Once we’ve completed your development project, there is the option for Proximity to provide for ongoing management, support and maintenance of those applications.
Simplify the delivery of complex IBM i integrations
Streamline your technical architecture with interfaces between your IBM i applications and third-party systems.
Our blend of in-depth IBM i knowledge and broader technical expertise allows you to deliver complex integrations without delays.
Create new applications and modern GUIs
Enable the delivery of your IT strategy with direct access to developers skilled in Java, PHP and other languages.
Whether you need real-time mobile apps or easy-to-use GUIs to replace green screens, we have the expertise to support you.
Plan migrations using IBM i consultancy and expertise
Inform your migration strategy using our team of specialists for IBM i expertise and consultancy. Get advice and ongoing support as you shape and execute your migration plans.
We support your IBM i systems for as long as you need.
Use Cases
Custom IBM i applications from a team of specialists
When you need development services to extend the capabilities of your IBM i applications or connect them with other systems, our team is on hand to deliver projects with confidence.
If you have a very specific use case, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can discuss your specific requirements.
If you need a modern PHP web application that integrates with your IBM i and delivers a smooth experience across devices, then you’ve come to the right place.
Want to add additional features or functionality into an existing IBM i application? We can certainly help you deliver that. Our team can also provide ongoing management, support and maintenance of the application moving forward.
If you’re looking for the development of custom integrations between your IBM i application and third-party systems, then look no further. Our team are specialists in this exact type of custom development project.
Green screens don’t necessarily meet the modern experience that your users might expect. We can help take your ‘old’ user interfaces and modernise them with familiar UI components and experiences that today’s users expect.
Why Proximity?
A team of IBM i specialists you can rely on
Industry experience
Global manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, retail and financial services companies trust us with their core systems.
Technical IBM i expertise
Access a team of 40 technical specialists with skills in RPG, COBOL, PHP and Java, as well as cloud solutions.
Stable, long-term support
100% permanent staff. We refresh our team with graduates and trainees, and we don't use agencies or contractors.
Frequently Asked Questions
An IBM i developer builds, maintains, and extends business applications that run on the IBM i (formerly AS400 or iSeries) platform. Proximity has a team of 40+ IBM i development specialists who use RPG, COBOL, and modern languages like Java and PHP on behalf of clients across the UK, Ireland and Europe. They combine deep knowledge of legacy IBM i architecture with current web and integration development skills.
- Core skills include: RPG, COBOL, SQL, and DB2 for i
- Modern extensions: Java, PHP, JSON, and HTML for web apps, APIs for integrating IBM i applications with other systems, and mobile-friendly interfaces
- Our IBM i developers understand the business logic embedded in those IBM i systems. Not just the code, but why it was written that way
A specialist IBM i (iSeries / AS400) development company, such as Proximity, delivers projects end-to-end with its own team and process. Hiring individual IBM i developers, either as in-house resources or as contractors, means managing project delivery yourself.
Most mid-size and enterprise IBM i based companies get better results from a specialist, dedicated IBM i (iSeries / AS400) development company as it removes the resourcing risk of relying on a small pool of IBM i development resource.
A dedicated IBM i development company provides continuity if a developer leaves, is on leave, or moves to another project. With Proximity, all IBM i development resources are employed directly by us and are all UK based.
You also get access to a broader skill set: RPG and COBOL for instance alongside Java and PHP. Our IBM i developers are experienced integrating IBM i applications with other systems and have completed numerous modernisation projects. Our business model provides you with a dedicated, permanent UK-based team, without the overhead of running an in-house recruitment process.
Outsourced IBM i developer access typically works as flexible staff / team augmentation. You get dedicated developer capacity from our specialist IBM i team. All our developers are employed directly by Proximity and are all UK-based so you get access without the cost and lead time of recruitment. We have flexible engagement models, for instance resources could be applied to clear a backlog of development and / or support issues; deliver a specific project; or provide ongoing IBM i (iSeries / AS400) application maintenance. With decades of experience, we have a robust onboarding and knowledge transfer process.
Absolutely! Modern IBM i and AS400 programmers employed directly by Proximity regularly use (what some people classify as legacy) RPG, COBOL and Synon as well as contemporary, modern languages such as Java, PHP, JSON and HTML. For us, this is absolutely the norm rather than the exception, since most IBM i estates need both support and maintenance of IBM i applications and modern-facing interfaces and / or integrations with other systems. In our experience, languages like RPG and COBOL remain essential for core business logic and existing application maintenance, while Java and PHP etc.are typically used for web applications, modernisation and connecting IBM i systems to third-party platforms. Proximity’s 40-plus technical specialists cover this full range, so the same team can maintain your existing RPG applications and build the modern layer on top.
Proximity provides end-to-end IBM i (iSeries / AS400) development, covering new application builds, feature development on existing systems, third-party integrations, and modernisation consulting.
- New application development: bespoke, responsive PHP web applications that modernise with your IBM i interface
- System integration: custom connections between your IBM i and third-party ERP, WMS, or inventory systems
- Modernisation consulting: replacing green-screen interfaces with modern GUIs, and advising on RPG, COBOL, and Synon codebases
- Ongoing support: optional management, maintenance, and support once your development project is complete
- Advice on the best strategies for migrating from IBM i and replatforming.