IBM i BOB v2.0 was released June 24, 2026 – just one day before my birthday! Coincidence? I don’t think so 😉
IBM BOB TWO is a major rebuild of IBM’s AI-powered development partner. It focuses on speed, agentic capabilities, and better enterprise workflows, with a dedicated Premium Package for i that brings IBM i-specific goodies.
Core Architecture & Performance Upgrades
- Single unified Agent architecture: Everything now runs on one consistent agent across clients (IDE first, Shell soon). No more duplicated logic between IDE and shell.
- Faster everything: Parallel native tool calling (multiple file reads/searches/commands at once), larger context window (now with 270k tokens), and quieter chat that hides internal machinery.
- Subagents: Bob spins up specialized subagents for self-contained subtasks (e.g., “figure out auth in this codebase”). They run in parallel with clean context, then summarize back to the main agent.
- Background tasks: Run multiple tasks at once, switch between them, and keep working. Tasks don’t hog your focus.
New Modes & Workflow
- Simplified to three modes:
- Agent: full action mode (makes changes).
- Plan: gathers requirements, explores, and produces a solid plan.
- Ask: read-only explanations and analysis.
You can switch modes mid-task and hand plans from Plan mode straight to Agent.
- Rollback rebuilt (no longer Git-dependent). Apparently it’s per-task, per-turn, or per-tool-call restores.
- Workflows repeatable multi-phase processes (mix of automation, AI, and human review). Perfect for big modernization jobs.
IBM i Premium Package Highlights (requires Bob 2.0+)
This is the bit most relevant for us grumpy IBM i programmers:
Native IBM i Connectivity
Direct access to source members/libraries on the host. No more copying everything out and back.
IBM i Developer Mode
A tailored persona that understands RPG, CL, SQL/Db2 for i, COBOL, DDS, etc., and the platform’s quirks. This is one of my favourite updates in this version of BOB – the Persona adds so much functionality it becomes quite magical [more]
Optimized Skills & Workflows
Things like fixed-to-free RPG conversion, record-level access to SQL, code generation, documentation from legacy source, unit test generation, and refactoring monoliths.
Curated RAG Documentation
IBM i-specific docs going back to System/36 days (yes, it knows what an RPG cycle is). RAG documentation simply means documentation that is fed into an AI using Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) so the AI can give smarter, more accurate answers based on your actual content, not just its training. In plain IBM i terms, instead of Bob guessing from general knowledge, RAG lets it look up your docs, codebase, or standards and pull relevant snippets in real time.
Optimized Prompting
Saves Bobcoins by being smarter about IBM i tasks. So they say! This claim makes sense, and I wait to see if this is true.
Other nice touches: Native support for reading .docx/.pdf/.xlsx files, improved diffs, editable commands before running, better MCP/skills management, and security hardening.
If you’re already on Bob, just update the IDE extension, your settings and rules carry over. Worth trying the Plan → Agent + background task combo on your next modernization chore.
Does my IBM-i BOB Pro/Ultra include the IBM-i Premium package?
Short answer: No, not automatically.
I find this a little annoying. I’ve already complained about paying 200 per month for my ULTRA plan and now I have to cough up another 40 bucks a month?
Me – Feeling Salty and a little cheap 😉
Here’s the straight, no‑marketing answer in proper IBM i terms…
How BOB Ultra actually works
- BOB Ultra is just the top usage tier (more Bobcoins, heavier AI use)
- It includes the same base Bob features as Pro and Pro+
- The difference is consumption, not functionality
Think of it like:
Pro = light usage
Pro+ = team usage
Ultra = heavy modernization workloads
Where the IBM i Premium Package fits
- The IBM i Premium Package is NOT bundled by default
- It is an add‑on extension to any Bob plan
- You can attach it to:
- Pro
- Pro+
- Ultra
IBM literally positions it as:
“Premium packages are provided as add-ons to an existing Bob subscription” [bob.ibm.com]
What Premium gives you (the good stuff)
This is where the real IBM i magic lives:
- Native IBM i connectivity (no Git export/import nonsense)
- Direct QSYS source member access
- RPG / CL / SQL awareness
- Compile + refactor + test on the box
- IBM i Developer Mode persona
Without Premium, Bob is basically: smart… but slightly disconnected from your actual IBM i
With Premium, it becomes: “yep, this thing actually understands my 20-year-old RPG monster programs”
The practical takeaway
- Ultra ≠ Premium
- Ultra + Premium = full-fat IBM i AI assistant
Real-world advice (from the trenches)
If you’re doing serious IBM i work:
- Ultra without Premium → lots of tokens, limited IBM i depth
- Pro+ with Premium → often a better sweet spot
- Ultra with Premium → proper modernization engine
So, what is the bottom line?
This V2 upgrade turns Bob from a helpful sidekick into a proper agentic partner that can handle complex, multi-step IBM i work without constantly getting in your face or burning through tokens. The Premium Package for i finally gives it proper native integration and platform smarts, might be exactly what we were waiting for.
I suppose I could better sum this up by saying:
BOB Ultra gives you more horsepower, but the IBM i Premium package gives you the steering wheel!
