Editing CICS (section)

===CICS and the World Wide Web===
CICS Transaction Server first introduced a native [[Hypertext Transfer Protocol|HTTP]] interface in version 1.2, together with a Web Bridge technology for wrapping green-screen terminal-based programs with an HTML facade. CICS Web and Document APIs were enhanced in CICS TS V1.3 to enable web-aware applications to be written to interact more effectively with web browsers.

CICS TS versions 2.1 through 2.3 focused on introducing [[Common Object Request Broker Architecture|CORBA]] and [[Enterprise JavaBeans|EJB]] technologies to CICS, offering new ways to integrate CICS assets into distributed application component models. These technologies relied on hosting [[Java (programming language)|Java]] applications in CICS. The Java hosting environment saw numerous improvements over many releases. A multi-threaded JVM resource called the JVMSERVER was introduced during the CICS TS version 4.1 release, this was further enhanced to use 64-bit JVM technology in version 5.1. Version 5.1 also saw the introduction of the WebSphere Liberty profile web-container. Ultimately [[IBM WebSphere Application Server|WebSphere Liberty]] was fully embedded into CICS Transaction Server in version 5.3. Numerous web facing technologies could be hosted in CICS using Java, this ultimately resulted in the removal of the native CORBA and EJB technologies.

CICS TS V3.1 added a native implementation of the [[Simple Object Access Protocol|SOAP]] and [[Web Services Description Language|WSDL]] technologies for CICS, together with client side HTTP APIs for outbound communication. These twin technologies enabled easier integration of CICS components with other Enterprise applications, and saw widespread adoption. Tools were included for taking traditional CICS programs written in languages such as [[COBOL]], and converting them into WSDL defined Web Services, with little or no program changes. This technology saw regular enhancements over successive releases of CICS.

CICS TS V4.1 and V4.2 saw further enhancements to web connectivity, including a native implementation of the [[Atom (Web standard)|Atom]] publishing protocol.

Many of the newer web facing technologies were made available for earlier releases of CICS using delivery models other than a traditional product release. This allowed early adopters to provide constructive feedback that could influence the final design of the integrated technology. Examples include the Soap for CICS technology preview SupportPac for TS V2.2, or the ATOM SupportPac for TS V3.1. This approach was used to introduce [[JSON]] support for CICS TS V4.2, a technology that went on to be integrated into CICS TS V5.2.

The [[JSON]] technology in CICS is similar to earlier [[SOAP]] technology, both of which allowed programs hosted in CICS to be wrapped with a modern facade. The JSON technology was in turn enhanced in z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition, an IBM product for composing JSON APIs that can leverage assets from several mainframe subsystems.

Many partner products have also been used to interact with CICS. Popular examples include using the CICS Transaction Gateway for connecting to CICS from [[Java EE Connector Architecture|JCA]] compliant Java application servers, and IBM DataPower appliances for filtering web traffic before it reaches CICS.

Modern versions of CICS provide many ways for both existing and new software assets to be integrated into distributed application flows. CICS assets can be accessed from remote systems, and can access remote systems; user identity and transactional context can be propagated; RESTful APIs can be composed and managed; devices, users and servers can interact with CICS using standards-based technologies; and the IBM WebSphere Liberty environment in CICS promotes the rapid adoption of new technologies.