ARCAD MCP Server
A vendor-built Model Context Protocol server from ARCAD Software, launched in spring 2026, that exposes IBM i application metadata from ARCAD's own repository to AI coding tools including IBM Bob, Claude, and GitHub Copilot in VS Code. It is a separate product from IBM's own IBM i MCP Server.
How it differs from IBM's MCP server
| ARCAD MCP Server | IBM i MCP Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | ARCAD Software | IBM |
| Draws on | ARCAD's application repository, updated in real time | Direct Db2 for i access through Mapepire |
| Main goal | Give agents precise app facts to cut hallucination | Query data and take actions on IBM i |
Instead of having an AI agent scan RPG or COBOL source itself, the server hands the agent facts from ARCAD's repository. It pairs AI guesses with fixed, rule-based analysis.
Works with
- VS Code with GitHub Copilot
- IBM Bob
- Claude
- Make
- n8n
z/OS support is planned. ARCAD says new tool batches ship every quarter.
Related Terms
IBM i MCP Server
An open-source, IBM-published server implementing the Model Context Protocol (MCP), letting AI agents and LLMs query Db2 for i data and take defined actions on IBM i using natural language. In beta since October 2025.
Model Context Protocol
An open standard, released by Anthropic on November 25, 2024, that defines a client-server architecture for connecting AI applications to external data sources, tools, and prompts over JSON-RPC 2.0. IBM's IBM i MCP Server is an implementation of it for Db2 for i and other IBM i resources.
IBM Bob (Project Bob)
IBM's generally available AI coding agent for IBM i, built as a fork of Visual Studio Code and tuned for RPG, CL, DDS, and SQL. Reached GA on March 24, 2026; Bob 2.0 and the IBM i-specific Bob Premium Package for i shipped June 24, 2026.
IBM i
IBM's operating system for Power servers running traditional AS/400-lineage business applications, with Db2 for i built directly into the OS.