For decades, Screen Design Aid (SDA) has been the cornerstone of green screen development on IBM i systems. It’s been the go-to tool for RPG developers creating and maintaining display files, providing a familiar, integrated environment for building character-based interfaces. But with IBM i 7.6, everything has changed.
IBM has completely removed SDA from the operating system.
According to IBM’s official support documentation, support for SDA and other Application Development ToolSet (ADTS) components officially ended on April 30, 2025. This isn’t a deprecation or a warning about future changes. SDA is simply gone.
For organizations planning to upgrade to IBM i 7.6 or beyond, this creates an immediate challenge: how do you build and maintain screens for your RPG applications without the tool you’ve relied on for years?
The impact is significant. For decades, ADTS tools like SDA have been the primary development environment for the vast majority of IBM i shops. As noted in recent industry reporting, this removal represents the end of an era for traditional IBM i development practices, making this a watershed moment for the IBM i community.
Understanding the Impact on Your Development Team
The removal of SDA affects every IBM i shop differently, but the implications are significant across the board. Without SDA, developers face several immediate challenges:
Manual DDS Coding: While you can still write DDS code manually, this approach dramatically slows development. Developers must compile their code, test the application, and iterate through multiple cycles just to see how a screen looks. What once took minutes in SDA now takes hours of tedious coding and testing.
Limited Alternatives: IBM hasn’t provided a direct replacement on the system itself. While Rational Developer for i (RDi) includes a screen designer, most shops either don’t have RDi due to its significant cost, or those who do often find its screen designer cumbersome and inefficient. IBM is developing a screen editor for VS Code, but it’s not ready yet, and there’s no guarantee it will meet the needs of experienced IBM i developers.
Knowledge Transfer Crisis: For organizations with newer developers or those training the next generation of RPG programmers, the absence of SDA creates a significant barrier. How do you teach green screen development without the primary tool that’s been used for decades?
The Hidden Opportunity in IBM's Decision
While the removal of SDA initially seems like a setback, it actually presents a unique opportunity for forward-thinking IBM i organizations. Consider this: if your team needs to learn a new tool for screen development anyway, why not learn one that moves your applications into the future rather than keeping them anchored in the past?
This is where Profound UI, a core component of Profound AppDev, transforms a challenge into an opportunity.
Profound UI: The Modern Alternative That Does More
Profound UI isn’t just a replacement for SDA; it’s a comprehensive leap forward in application development. Instead of simply recreating green screens in a new tool, Profound UI enables you to build modern, web-based interfaces that run in browsers while preserving your valuable RPG business logic.
Visual Designer: Familiar Concepts, Modern Results
The Profound UI Visual Designer provides a drag-and-drop interface that’s actually easier to use than SDA ever was. While SDA required developers to work within the constraints of 24×80 character positions, Profound UI opens up a world of modern UI components:
- Rich Widget Library: Access over 125 pre-built components including grids, charts, calendars, and more
- Responsive Design: Create interfaces that automatically adapt to different screen sizes and devices
- Real-time Preview: See exactly how your screens will look without constant compile-test cycles
- Theme Support: Apply consistent, professional styling across all your applications
Preserving Your RPG Investment
One of the most powerful aspects of Profound UI is its seamless integration with existing RPG programs. Through RPG Open Access, your current business logic continues to run unchanged while Profound UI handles the presentation layer. This means:
- No Rewriting Required: Your RPG programs remain intact
- Gradual Transition: Convert screens at your own pace
- Coexistence: Mix Profound UI screens with existing applications
- Skill Preservation: RPG developers can continue using their expertise
DDS Conversion: Jumpstart Your Transition
For organizations with extensive existing DDS display files, Profound UI includes powerful conversion capabilities. Rather than manually recreating every screen, the DDS conversion feature automatically transforms your display files into modern web formats. This automated process:
- Preserves screen logic and field definitions
- Maintains data validation rules
- Converts function key mappings
- Provides a foundation for enhancement
Beyond Green Screen Limitations
When you move to Profound UI, you’re not just solving the SDA problem; you’re eliminating the inherent limitations of green screen development entirely. Consider what becomes possible:
Enhanced User Experience
Modern users expect intuitive, visually appealing interfaces. Profound UI delivers:
- Graphical elements and data visualizations
- Intuitive navigation with menus and tabs
- Rich text editing capabilities
- Multimedia integration
- Dynamic, interactive components
Improved Productivity
Development teams see immediate productivity gains:
- Faster screen development with visual tools
- Reusable component libraries
- Simplified maintenance and updates
- Better collaboration through web-based access
Business Benefits
The move to browser-based interfaces delivers tangible business value:
- Reduced Training Costs: New employees familiar with web applications need minimal training
- Remote Access: Users can access applications from anywhere with a browser
- Device Independence: Support desktops, tablets, and mobile devices
- Enhanced Data Entry: Modern controls reduce errors and improve efficiency
- Professional Image: Present a modern face to customers and partners
Making the Transition: A Practical Path Forward
Change is never easy, especially when it’s forced upon you by external circumstances. The removal of SDA might feel like losing an old friend who’s been with you through countless development projects. We understand the apprehension. Your team has muscle memory built around SDA workflows. Your documentation references SDA procedures. Your training materials assume its availability.
But here’s what we’ve learned from helping hundreds of IBM i organizations through similar transitions: the companies that thrive aren’t those who find a bare-minimum replacement for what they’ve lost. They’re the ones who recognize disruption as an opportunity to leap forward rather than simply maintain the status quo.
The removal of SDA doesn’t have to trigger a crisis. With Profound UI as part of Profound AppDev, you have a clear path forward that actually improves your position:
Phase 1
Immediate Relief
Start by using Profound UI for new screen development. This immediately solves the SDA problem while your team learns the new tools. The visual designer’s intuitive interface means developers can be productive quickly.
Phase 2
Strategic Conversion
Identify high-impact screens that would benefit most from modernization. Use the DDS conversion capabilities to quickly transform these screens, then enhance them with modern UI elements.
Phase 3
Comprehensive Futurization
As your team gains experience with Profound UI, accelerate the transformation of your entire application portfolio. Take advantage of advanced features like responsive design and rich widgets to create truly modern applications.
Real-World Success
Organizations already using Profound UI report significant benefits:
- Development Speed: Screen creation is 3-4 times faster than traditional green screen development
- User Satisfaction: Dramatic improvements in user acceptance and productivity
- Maintenance Efficiency: Updates and modifications take a fraction of the time
- Talent Attraction: Easier to recruit and retain developers interested in modern technology
The Bigger Picture: Profound AppDev
While Profound UI addresses the immediate challenge of SDA’s removal, it’s just one component of the comprehensive Profound AppDev suite.
This integrated platform provides everything you need for complete IBM i application futurization:
- Genie: Instantly web-enable existing green screens
- Atrium: Create modern portals and menus
- Profound.js: Build new applications with Node.js
- Coexistence Technology: Seamlessly integrate old and new
This ecosystem ensures that your investment in moving beyond SDA contributes to a larger futurization strategy, not just a tactical fix.
A Message to IBM i Leadership
If you’re a CTO or IT Director, the removal of SDA represents a critical decision point. You can view it as a problem requiring a minimal fix, or as an opportunity to accelerate your futurization initiatives. Consider:
- Your developers need to learn new tools regardless
- The cost of staying with green screens continues to grow
- User expectations for modern interfaces aren’t going away
- Competition from companies with modern applications intensifies daily
Profound UI offers a solution that addresses the immediate SDA challenge while positioning your organization for long-term success.
For Existing Genie Customers
If you’re already using Genie to web-enable your green screens, the removal of SDA affects you too. After all, someone still needs to create and maintain those underlying green screens that Genie renders. This is the perfect time to upgrade to Profound AppDev and gain access to Profound UI. You’ll be able to:
- Create new screens directly in Profound UI
- Gradually transform Genie-rendered screens to native Profound UI
- Provide users with a richer, more interactive experience
- Reduce dependency on green screen technology
Take Action Today
The removal of SDA from IBM i 7.6 is a wake-up call for the entire IBM i community. But with Profound UI and the complete Profound AppDev suite, you have the tools to turn this challenge into your greatest opportunity for advancement.
Don’t wait until your next upgrade forces the issue. Start exploring Profound UI today and discover how it can transform not just your screen development process, but your entire approach to IBM i applications.
Next Steps
Ready to see how Profound UI can solve your SDA challenge and revolutionize your application development? Contact our team at futurization@ProfoundLogic.com for a personalized demonstration.
Learn more about Profound AppDev and how it enables comprehensive IBM i futurization at https://www.profoundlogic.com/profound-appdev/.
The end of SDA doesn’t have to mean the end of productive IBM i development. With Profound UI, it’s just the beginning of something much better.