Rocket^® DevOps 11.1: Setting the Pace for 2026

Last week, we shipped Rocket^® DevOps 11.1. Yes, it’s a version number, a release, another line on the roadmap. But it’s also something more. It marks the moment when the conversation about IBM^® i modernization shifts into high gear. Because there’s one simple message behind this release: IBM i is moving forward fast and Rocket Software is fueling that progress.

You’ve probably heard the line “IBM i is old.” I hear it too. But every time I look at what our customers are doing, what IBM is investing in, and what we’re building here at Rocket, the evidence tells a very different story.

A release that signals our future

With 11.1, we’re delivering capabilities you can put to work today. But the real story is where we’re heading next. Every decision made for this release feeds into the work we’re doing now for 2026, because that’s where all upcoming development effort is focused. And the themes behind that work are clear: stronger security, higher quality, more automation, easier workflows, deeper modernization, and compliance that works with you rather than against you.

These aren’t slogans on a slide. They’re the foundation we laid for Rocket DevOps, and the ones we continue to invest in.

What’s new in 11.1, told straight  

One of the biggest steps forward in this release is the expansion of two-way Git^® integration. Git isn’t a bolt-on anymore; it sits at the heart of the development flow. IBM i and non-IBM i code can now move together in one clean lifecycle, with changes in Git flowing reliably into builds on IBM i. It’s simple, consistent, and aligned with how modern teams expect to work.

We’ve also made IBM i a full participant in Azure^® DevOps with Azure Pipelines support. If your open systems teams live in Azure, your IBM i teams don’t have to sit on the sidelines anymore. They can run in the same pipelines, follow the same patterns, and speak the same DevOps language.

Our new unit testing capability, supported by select RDOt features, is included at no additional charge. Developers can run repeatable, automated tests as part of their normal workflow without stitching together their own scripts or tooling. Testing becomes built in, not bolted on.

One of my favorite additions in 11.1 is the new capability for external filesystem deployment. This opens the door to deploying artifacts from repositories like JFrog Artifactory using the same trusted process Rocket DevOps already uses for IBM i. A single release can target IBM i, Windows^®, Linux^®, and UNIX^® together and scale from a handful of servers to large estates. As hybrid environments grow, this becomes essential.

Where Rocket Software stands out: Straightforward and practical  

Rocket DevOps gives organizations some incredibly important things: compliance you can prove,  automated audit trails, enforced approvals, segregation of duties, reporting you can put in front of an auditor without a week of preparation. If you operate under SOX, PCI, ISO, or anything similar, this matters.

Rocket DevOps is engineered with in-depth security, deep object-level integration with IBM i security, encryption where it counts, integrity checks that protect deployments from tampering or partial execution, and secure APIs that keep integrations controlled and auditable. It’s not just a collection of security features; it’s security built into the architecture.

Modern enterprises no longer operate on a single platform. That’s why multi-platform capability is such a powerful advantage. IBM i, Windows, Linux, and UNIX can all be part of one unified release process. One view. One flow. One source of truth.

Integration depth is part of that too, incorporating Git, Azure Pipelines, Jenkins^®, Jira^®, traditional IBM i tooling, enterprise scanners, and of course, RDOt - our testing solution that plugs directly into the DevOps lifecycle. It keeps testing, change management, and deployment aligned—which is where teams save the most time.

Finally, there's quality and stability. Rocket DevOps has been shaped and refined by years of real-world use across IBM i environments. When your system runs the business, that kind of maturity isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Let’s talk about the “IBM i Is Old” myth 

When customers leave Rocket DevOps, it’s usually because they’re leaving IBM i altogether. And when they do, it’s often because someone convinces them the platform is outdated. But the reality is IBM i has been modernizing rapidly with Git, Jenkins, Azure Pipelines, Jira, VS Code^®, free-form RPG, integrated testing, DevSecOps tooling, cloud pipeline orchestration, and often faster than platforms that are supposedly “newer.” The problem isn’t capability, it’s perception. From a cost perspective, modernizing with Rocket DevOps is typically far more efficient and far less risky than attempting a multi-year rewrite that may never deliver the expected ROI.

Modernization essentials: Our commitment in action

We don’t just promise long-term support for IBM i—we’re helping to shape its future. This commitment goes beyond words; it’s a strategy for the decade ahead.

Our upcoming Modernization Essentials Package will enable customers to access additional IBM i products at no additional license cost. The goal is simple: if you’re ready to modernize, we want to remove obstacles, not create them.

AI, testing, and the road to 2026

AI is not part of 11.1, deliberately. We’re deep into advanced proof-of-concept work for 2026, and every idea follows the same rule: AI must improve quality and reduce risk, especially in testing, without exposing customer code or compromising IBM i stability.

We’re exploring AI that can highlight untested code paths, predict areas of risk, support testers with intelligent insights, and recognize patterns across the pipeline. Always securely, always controlled, always with full privacy.

This work is exciting, and we’re approaching it with discipline and purpose, guided by our customers every step of the way.

Shaped by customers: An invitation  

Some of our most powerful features started as customer ideas: Change File While Active, Azure Pipelines support, unit testing enhancements, hybrid deployment flexibility - the list keeps growing.

Now I’d like to hear yours.

I’m opening 30-minute roadmap sessions to anyone in the IBM i community—developers, testers, QA engineers, architects, managers, CIOs. If IBM i touches your world, I want to hear from you. We’ll talk about the 2026 work, the AI direction, our security and compliance plans, the Modernization Essentials Package, and the pain points you want us to tackle next.

If you care about the future of IBM i DevOps, now is the time to join the conversation.  

• Reach out to me directly at [email protected].
• Ask to book a roadmap session.
• Bring your challenges, your ideas, and your wish list.

We’ll share where we’re heading, and you’ll shape what we build. Together, we’ll define what DevOps for IBM i looks like in 2026.

IBM i isn’t old. It’s accelerating.

Rocket DevOps is here to help you capture that momentum.

IBM and IBM i are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Azure, , VS Code and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation... Git is a trademark of Software Freedom Conservancy, Inc. Linux^® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries. Jenkins is a trademark of LF Charities, Inc. Unix is a trademark of The Open Group Ltd. Jira is  trademark of Atlassian PTY Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.