This book assumes that you already know how to program mainframes using some high level language, such as COBOL or PL/I. The manual begins with a simple programming shell and, step-by-step, covers all of the basic instructions on a gradient scale of difficulty. The middle chapters cover the more advanced instructions. The later chapters cover the more difficult instructions and systems programming features, such as Channel Programming, Blocking/Deblocking, Data Compression and Reentrant Subroutines.

This manual is designed for a college level introductory and intermediate Assembler for IBM mainframes course.

It is also very useful for self-study on the more advanced features of the language, such as Systems Programming.