Is your organization running mission-critical IBM i (AS/400) applications? You’re not alone in facing crucial decisions about their future. While these systems have delivered rock-solid reliability for decades, staying competitive in today’s digital landscape requires strategic futurization decisions – including which modern language will power your applications for the next generation.
For years, conventional wisdom has pointed to Java as the default enterprise language for modernizing legacy systems. However, the technology landscape has evolved dramatically, and JavaScript has emerged as the superior choice for organizations serious about future-proofing their IBM i applications.
The JavaScript Revolution in Enterprise Computing
JavaScript’s journey from a simple browser scripting language to a robust, enterprise-grade technology represents one of the most significant evolutions in modern computing. With the advent of Node.js in 2009, JavaScript broke free of browser constraints and became a powerful server-side language capable of handling enterprise workloads.
Today, JavaScript powers mission-critical applications at organizations ranging from financial institutions and healthcare providers to manufacturing giants and government agencies. Its ubiquity, versatility, and performance have made it the preferred choice for modern application development – including IBM i futurization projects.
Why JavaScript is Winning the Enterprise Language Battle
When evaluating transformation strategies for IBM i applications, the target language decision carries significant implications for your project’s success.
JavaScript offers compelling advantages over Java in several critical areas:
1. Developer Availability and Expertise
JavaScript consistently ranks as the world's most widely used programming language. This translates to a vast talent pool that simply doesn't exist for Java or other alternatives. By choosing JavaScript for your transformation:
- Access a larger, more diverse developer ecosystem
- Reduce hiring challenges and costs
- Decrease dependency on specialized, hard-to-find skills
- Enable knowledge sharing across web and backend development teams
2. Development Speed and Efficiency
JavaScript's lightweight, interpreted nature enables significantly faster development cycles compared to Java's compilation requirements and verbose syntax:
- Reduce time-to-market for modernized applications
- Enable rapid prototyping and iteration
- Implement changes without lengthy compile-deploy cycles
- Leverage a rich ecosystem of npm packages to accelerate development
3. Cost Effectiveness
The financial implications of choosing JavaScript over Java extend throughout the application lifecycle:
- Lower initial transformation costs due to faster development
- Reduced ongoing maintenance expenses
- Decreased labor costs through greater developer availability
- Eliminated or reduced licensing fees associated with Java environments
- Higher ROI through faster time-to-value
4. Modern Architecture Support
JavaScript and its ecosystem naturally align with modern architectural patterns that drive innovation:
- Microservices architecture through lightweight Node.js services
- API-first design with native JSON support
- Serverless computing with first-class support from major providers
- Event-driven architectures with JavaScript's asynchronous nature
- Seamless cloud integration across all major platforms
5. Unified Language Stack
Perhaps JavaScript's most unique advantage is its ability to unify development across the entire application stack:
- Same language for frontend and backend development
- Shared code and business logic between client and server
- Streamlined team collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Reduced context switching for developers
- JSON as a native data format throughout the stack
How Profound AppEvo Leverages JavaScript for Superior Futurization
Profound Logic has been at the forefront of IBM i futurization for over two decades, and our Profound AppEvo platform is specifically designed to maximize the advantages of JavaScript for enterprise applications.
Profound Logic is the only IBM i technology partner that takes you beyond modernization and into AI-enhanced futurization, empowering you to transition into the demands of tomorrow. Unlike approaches that rely on Java’s aging architecture, Profound AppEvo transforms your RPG and COBOL applications into modern, open-source JavaScript (Node.js) code. This transformation preserves your valuable business logic while enabling true futurization of your applications.
Key Benefits of JavaScript Futurization with Profound AppEvo:
- Automated Conversion: Rapid transformation from RPG/COBOL to clean, maintainable JavaScript code
- Coexistence Capability: Seamlessly integrate futurized JavaScript components with existing systems
- Modern UI Frameworks: Transform green screens using React, Angular, or our own Profound UI framework
- API Enablement: Easily expose application functionality through RESTful APIs
- Cloud Readiness: Deploy applications to any environment – on-premises, cloud, or hybrid
- AI Integration: Leverage AI capabilities to enhance your applications
- Future-Proof Foundation: Build on the world’s most widely adopted programming language
Real-World Success: JavaScript Futurization in Action
- Developer Availability JavaScript consistently ranks as the most widely used programming language globally. According to Statista’s 2024 survey, more than 62% of developers worldwide use JavaScript, making it the most common programming language Statista, 2024. This translates to approximately 13.8 million JavaScript developers worldwide compared to 9 million Java developers Cogent, 2023.
- Development Efficiency Modern JavaScript development through Node.js offers significant efficiency advantages. In a direct performance comparison, a finance calculation server reimplemented in Node.js was able to process 2.4K trades/second compared to the Java version’s 400+/second, while requiring fewer data structures and method calls StackOverflow, 2018.
- Talent Acquisition The demand for JavaScript expertise significantly outweighs the supply. According to HackerRank, 53.6% of employers worldwide need JavaScript skills, yet only 42% of student developers report proficiency in the language CareerFoundry, 2023. This demand creates opportunities for organizations that can effectively leverage the JavaScript talent pool.
- Cost Efficiency JavaScript developers typically command competitive salaries, with U.S. rates averaging around $48 per hour compared to $62 for Java developers inVerita, 2024. However, the larger talent pool provides more hiring options and potentially lower recruitment costs.
Is JavaScript Right for Your IBM i Futurization?
While JavaScript offers significant advantages for most IBM i futurization projects, the ideal approach depends on your specific business objectives and technical environment. The best futurization strategy often involves a thoughtful combination of approaches – what we call the 6 Rs of Transformation:
- Refactor: Transform legacy code to modern JavaScript while preserving business logic
- Replace: Implement new solutions where appropriate
- Rewrite: Build fresh applications with modern JavaScript architecture
- Re-architect: Transform application structure using JavaScript’s flexibility
- Retain: Maintain what works while planning ahead
- Retire: Sunset applications that no longer serve your business
Profound AppEvo provides the flexibility to apply the right strategy for each component of your system, with JavaScript serving as the ideal foundation for your futurized applications.
Next Steps in Your JavaScript Futurization Journey
Ready to explore how JavaScript and Profound AppEvo can futurize your legacy IBM i applications? Reach out to our team at futurization@ProfoundLogic.com for a personalized evaluation of your futurization options.
Stay tuned for our next post in the series, where we’ll explore how JavaScript delivers superior speed-to-market compared to Java in IBM i futurization projects
