hercules ☆
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Description:
System/370, ESA/390 and z/Architecture Emulator
Type: Formula  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Developer tools
Tags: emulator mainframe z-architecture ibm system-370
Install: brew install hercules
About:
Hercules is an open-source software emulator that allows mainframe applications to run on standard PC hardware. It emulates the instruction sets and hardware environments of System/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture mainframes. This enables developers and enthusiasts to test and run legacy or enterprise IBM operating systems like z/OS without access to physical mainframe hardware.
Key Features:
  • Full emulation of S/370, ESA/390, and z/Architecture instruction sets
  • Supports running real IBM operating systems (e.g., z/OS, z/VM, Linux on Z)
  • Provides virtual hardware devices (channels, DASD, card readers, printers)
  • Cross-platform support (Linux, Windows, macOS)
Use Cases:
  • Learning and training on mainframe operating systems and JCL
  • Developing and testing mainframe applications offline
  • Preserving and running legacy mainframe software
Alternatives:
  • PCP390 – A commercial alternative that also provides a mainframe emulator environment.
  • IBM ZD&T (Z Development and Test Environment) – Official IBM solution, generally more feature-complete but requires a paid license.
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 12, 2025 11:33pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 8136d7da
Sep 13, 2024 5:18pm 0 VERSION_BUMP c3992873
Aug 2, 2024 12:38pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 97f5db1c
Oct 2, 2023 12:11pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 07a66a91
Jan 2, 2023 9:05am 0 VERSION_BUMP c4f7b0e6
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