Your mainframe, as tools and endpoints.
Give each team an interface it can use: tools for agents, REST APIs for integrations, regression tests for releases and tables for analysts. Keep the host screens you already run.
Start with a workflow your team already knows. Expose a reviewed screen flow as an API, run a replay test or read an approved table through OData. See the API path →
curl https://YOUR-GATEWAY/api/v1/flows/customer-lookup \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $WND_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"customer":"12345678"}'
# Example success, with typed outputs
{"ok":true,"flow":"customer-lookup",
"outputs":{"name":"ACME TRADING CO",
"status":"ACTIVE","balance":12480.55}}WND Terminal reuses host-screen workflows in four ways: MCP tools, gateway REST APIs, the standalone WND Test runner and gateway OData screen tables. Each path keeps its own permissions, limits and licensing.
- Integration
- REST contracts from reviewed screen flows.
- QA and release
- Host-connected tests or license-free replay suites.
- Analytics
- Read-only OData tables for Excel and BI tools.
Tools for your AI agents
wnd-mcp gives an MCP client screen, field, key and code-reference tools. Named flows give it procedures reviewed by someone who knows the application. Read-only action checks, masking and allowed connections still apply.
See AI agents and their guardrails or start with the AI overview.
Screen flows as REST APIs
Give a .wndflow typed inputs and outputs, review it, and publish it through the gateway. Call it from scripts or import the contract into your integration tooling. OpenAPI 3.1 and Swagger 2.0 are documented outputs.
On a small screen, swipe the table to read all columns.
| What you need | What WND Terminal provides |
|---|---|
| Successful run | 200, with typed outputs and a run ID. |
| Approval or queued work | 202, with a run URL. Poll it for the final outcome; 202 is not a completed transaction. |
| Business failure | 422 when the flow’s fail or assert reports a business condition. |
| Capacity | 503 with Retry-After when the session queue is full or times out. |
| Session reuse | Fresh sessions are the default. Pooled flows explicitly name a reset macro that must return the session to its starting screen. |
Gateway policy, service-account permissions and the stricter action mode apply. Every API session is recorded. Contracts, approval behavior and all response codes.
Regression tests for host applications
wnd-test checks screens from CI without a desktop app or gateway. Host-connected runs support 3270 and 5250. Replay suites use the current 3270 recording path and need no host or license.
wnd-test init mainframe-tests
cd mainframe-tests
wnd-testUse the HTML failure report and JUnit XML in GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Azure DevOps or GitLab. Get versioned runner archives from the customer portal and use the vendored CI examples in your own repository.
Run the replay suite. Inspect the evidence.
A 12-second walkthrough of the actual WND Test 1.0.308 HTML report. The bundled fictional replay suite ran without a host or license.
Read the visual walkthrough
- The released runner completes its three bundled replay tests successfully.
- Expand the customer lookup case to inspect its steps and assertions against the recording.
- Filter the report to find the customer case. The report is generated by the runner, with no product screens recreated.
Screen tables for Excel and BI
Choose Save as table… from Capture all pages or Modern view. Review the saved definition, parameters and column types; IT copies it to the gateway’s approved table folder. In Excel choose Data → Get Data → From OData Feed.
Each query uses a read-only, recorded gateway session. This is OData, not an ODBC driver. Power BI connector source is supplied to build; a signed packaged connector is not promised.
Comparing a modernization project?
Start with the workflow, its callers and the behavior you will maintain. Compare WND Terminal with the IBM HATS approach →
For staff access through a browser, compare the sign-on path and infrastructure as well. Host On-Demand, HACP Extended Edition and HACloud →
How it is licensed
Screen flows as APIs, host-connected WND Test and Screen tables need their corresponding entitlements. Replay-only WND Test runs are free. Trial licenses include the products; contact WND Software for production licensing and current commercial terms.
Talk through your deployment or see Desktop and Enterprise pricing.
Questions
Do we need to change COBOL or host screens?
These interfaces work through the existing host screens and protocols. Someone who knows the application defines and tests each flow or table.
Is every API flow pooled?
No. Fresh sessions are the default. Pooling is explicit and requires a reset procedure that returns the session to a known starting screen.
Can we try WND Test without a mainframe?
Yes. wnd-test init creates a recording-based suite. Replay-only use requires no license; host-connected testing needs its entitlement.
Is an ODBC driver included?
Screen tables expose OData. Use an OData-capable tool; do not treat this as an ODBC driver or a signed packaged Power BI connector.
Choose one workflow worth automating.
Start with a lookup, a regression suite or a reporting table. Agree the inputs, outputs, permissions and success criteria in a free proof of value.