Glossary
Free-Format RPG
A modern RPG coding style that drops the rigid column-based syntax of traditional fixed-format RPG in favor of freer, more readable statement syntax.
Started withRPG IV
ReplacesColumn-position rules
Common projectConverting fixed-format code
Fixed-format vs free-format RPG
| Fixed-format RPG | Free-format RPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Code must sit in set columns | Statements are written freely |
| Reads like | Older column-based syntax | Closer to other modern languages |
IBM added free format a piece at a time, starting with RPG IV and growing it a lot in later releases.
AI tools that convert fixed-format RPG to free-format
- IBM Bob, through the Bob Premium Package for i
- CoderFlow from Profound Logic
- Rocket DevOps, since August 2026
- AS/Forward from Golden Path Digital
Related Terms
RPG
Report Program Generator, the primary business application programming language on IBM i and its AS/400 predecessors, still running the majority of production logic in most IBM i shops.
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.