The zopen community is dedicated to bringing open source technologies to z/OS and bridging the gap between z/OS and major platforms. Founded in 2022, the zopen community joined the Open Mainframe Project (OMP) in October 2024. With over 200 open source tools and libraries, the community has introduced the zopen package manager, designed to simplify tool installation and management. By providing a streamlined build framework, the zopen community aims to ensure that open source tools remain up-to-date and secure, addressing critical issues such as maintaining currency and mitigating vulnerabilities.

Igor Todorovski, z/OS Open Source Development Lead at IBM, talks about the initiative’s objectives and integration into OMP. Since coming under the OMP umbrella and operating under OMP governance, the community benefits from a Technical Steering Committee (TSC) of eight members guiding its direction. Todorovski explains that joining OMP has provided access to valuable resources, including mentorship programs, hardware infrastructure, and domain expertise. These assets are crucial in expanding the reach of open source development on z/OS.

A key driver of the zopen community is fostering a collaborative approach to open source on z/OS. “Instead of working in isolated silos, we chose to create a collaborative environment where everyone can work together and contribute their projects to the open source community,” says Todorovski.

The zopen community operates as a GitHub organization, bringing together contributors to port open source tools, resolve dependency challenges, and streamline development efforts. Todorovski explains how contributing to a shared ecosystem ensures that open source technologies on z/OS remain accessible and up to date.

Security remains a priority for the community, with a strong focus on tracking vulnerabilities and automating updates. Todorovski highlights the role of the zopen package manager in enabling developers to access essential tools without relying on system administrators. This helps improve developer productivity while maintaining security. Todorovski underscores the crucial role z/OS plays in enterprise infrastructure, and how the community ensures that tools remain reliable and resilient.

Increasing accessibility to z/OS is another key objective. Todorovski highlights that IBM has launched the z/OS public-facing initiative, allowing universities and  z/OS enthusiasts to gain access to the platform for the first time. This aligns with broader efforts to attract modern developers and integrate z/OS into the open source landscape.

Since its inception, the zopen community has grown from just two contributors to over 50. Todorovski invites developers to join the Discord channel, contribute to tool development, and work with upstream open source communities.

Guest: Igor Todorovski
Project: Open Mainframe Project
Show: Mainframe Matters

This summary was written by Emily Nicholls.