PASE (Portable Application Solutions Environment) and QShell on IBM i feels a lot like working in a Linux or UNIX environment, and there's a good reason for that.
Why PASE Feels Like Linux
PASE is essentially a runtime environment on IBM i that allows AIX (IBM’s UNIX) binaries to run. Since AIX is UNIX-compliant, and Linux shares much of the same philosophy and command-line behavior, working in PASE can indeed feel like working on Linux.
Here are some similarities and practical takeaways:
Similarities Between PASE and Linux
Shell commands like
ls,cd,pwd,grep,cat, grep, etc., are available in both environments.File system navigation behaves similarly (though the underlying file systems are quite different — IFS on IBM i vs ext4, xfs, etc. on Linux).
Environment variables like
$PATH,$HOME, and others are used in both.Scripting with shells like
sh,ksh, or evenbash(if installed) can be practiced in both systems.SSH access allows terminal-based work just like in a Linux shell.
Tools like
vi,awk,sed,ps,kill,nano, andcronare either identical or very close in functionality.
What’s Different
QShell vs PASE:
QShell is a POSIX-like shell on IBM i, but it's not a full UNIX shell. It lacks some scripting features and behaves differently in areas like redirection and process handling.
PASE is closer to real UNIX/Linux, especially when running native AIX binaries.
File paths:
IBM i uses the IFS (Integrated File System) which is different from the hierarchical Linux file system.
/home/usermight work, but behind the scenes, you're still dealing with IBM i objects and structure.
Access to native IBM i resources:
Native IBM i commands (like
WRKACTJOB,DSPLIB, etc.) aren't directly usable in PASE without special handling via the system command.
Why Working on One Helps with the Other
Linux gives you muscle memory for shell navigation, scripting, and using standard UNIX tools.
PASE gives you exposure to working in a hybrid environment, where UNIX concepts meet IBM i's robustness and control.
So yes — if you're an IBM i developer looking to sharpen your skills, getting comfortable with Linux can directly enhance your productivity in PASE and QShell, and vice-versa.
