IBM has launched a self-hosted version of its Bob agentic software development tool, now available for enterprise customers. This deployment option allows organizations to process code, development context, and build artifacts entirely within their own secure environments, including air-gapped systems.
The self-hosted solution does not include a pre-bundled model. Instead, clients must license and host a supported model from IBM’s approved list. This architecture enables companies to manage sensitive workloads, such as core banking applications, on-premises while maintaining a consistent development experience.
IBM focuses on modernizing legacy systems, specifically targeting Java, IBM i, and mainframe codebases that cannot access the public internet. The company plans to expand its model portfolio and introduce multi-model routing capabilities in future updates, though these features are currently in the roadmap stage.
Unlike competitors such as GitLab or GitHub, which integrate agents into their specific DevOps platforms, or Mistral, which pairs agents with its own models, IBM positions Bob as a tool for managing long-lived enterprise estates. Pricing details have not been disclosed, and interested parties must request a demo.
