When IBM introduced Node.js to IBM i they included a full fledge DB2 for i database driver written directly against the SQL CLI APIs. No middle layer JDBC or MySQL in the mix. They also provided the iToolkit, a seamless way to call RPG (or any other type of resource or program on IBM i) directly from Node.js. Very cool. This means adopting Node.js doesn't mean abandoning your huge investment in RPG; instead you can revitalize it. That makes good business sense.
In this session we will do the following:
- Walk through the various features and ways to communicate with existing DB2 tables directly from Node.js.
- Talk about blocking and non-blocking database i/o
- How to interface with DB2 for i Services to create a cool realtime WebSockets app that displays WRKACTJOB type information
- Introduce XMLSERVICE and its feature set.
- Walk through the various features and ways to communicate with existing RPG programs directly from a Node.js program that is running on the same IBM i!
- Show how to do iterative development using the Node.js REPL capabilities (programming in a real-time response environment) - a great tool and approach for learning how to code in
- Learn how to modularize your Node.js calls to RPG to make them reusable.
- Discuss how to make stateful requests to an RPG *SRVPGM.