IBM Announces developerWorks Premium to Accelerate Speed and Efficiency of Deploying Cloud Projects

ARMONK, NY - 12 Nov 2015: IBM (NYSE: IBM ) has launched developerWorks Premium, a subscription model of its developerWorks community, to provide developers with exclusive, member-only curated tools and resources for IBM Cloud. With developerWorks Premium, developers now have an all-access pass to cloud-based IBM offerings and services that will help them rapidly prototype, develop and deploy cloud projects.

Evans Data Corporation’s recent Global Development and Demographic Study reveals that five million developers worldwide are using the cloud as a development platform. Cloud represents a sea change in the way that developers work; it increases productivity and decreases cost, while providing a new level of flexibility that encourages innovation anywhere, at anytime.

The new cloud-based developerWorks Premium annual subscription capitalizes on the inherent productivity and cost-saving benefits of cloud and takes them a step further. By providing unprecedented complimentary access to IBM Cloud services like Bluemix, SoftLayer, and MobileFirst, developers can go from prototype to production within minutes—all on an interconnected, scalable and secure cloud architecture.

And with more businesses using cloud-based apps and platforms to boost customer demand strategies, according to Mapping the Cloud Maturity Curve, an IBM commissioned study by The Economist Intelligence Unit, it is critical that developers have the knowledge and skills to build these products in the cloud. By offering easy access to learning tools and resources, developerWorks Premium helps developers hone their cloud-based skills while fostering a collaborative environment where they can connect with other developers, including IBM Cloud experts.

“We asked our developer community what tools they wanted and needed, and we created a compelling premium version of developerWorks based on their feedback,” said Sandy Carter, general manager of cloud ecosystem and developers at IBM. “We have created a roadmap of premium resources for developers of all levels to grow their skills, build next-gen apps and connect with the IBM ecosystem. We want to encourage developers and innovation at IBM.”

With developerWorks Premium, subscribers can easily tap into IBM Cloud development and infrastructure tools. With IBM’s open-source platform-as-a-service, [Bluemix](http://www.ibm.com/cloud-computing/bluemix/?cm_mmc=search-gsn-_-branded-Bluemix-general-_-ibm bluemix-_-usa-bm-mkt-oww), users can build and run powerful apps while incorporating innovative services like Watson, IoT and mobile along with third-party APIs like GitHub, Box, MongoDB, Twilio and SendGrid. And by leveraging IBM’s growing global footprint of data centers running SoftLayer infrastructure, developers can select a foundation of secure, resilient cloud servers located in the data center of their choice.

One of the many resources included within developerWorks Premium is GitHub, a community where more than 11 million people build software together. Now a part of the developerWorks Premium offering, the developerWorks community will be able to discover, fork and contribute to the over 29 million existing projects on GitHub, as well as create new projects.

“Speed and productivity are non-negotiable for developers building software in today's market. The combination of GitHub, Bluemix, training and support included in developerWorks Premium will help developers ship quality software fast,” said Joe Wadcan, head of business development at GitHub. “We see the smartest companies investing in the best tools to empower their developers, and developerWorks Premium allows those teams to use GitHub to build, collaborate and ship great software."

“When I heard about IBM's developerWorks Premium, I knew I had to be an early adopter,” said Ed Janeczek, CTO of Flagship Solutions Group. “IBM has put together a great package of benefits for me to increase my skills and easily explore IBM's cloud solutions. With my Bluemix subscription and cloud credits, I have been able to develop my apps using services such as Watson and IoT—making my time to production super fast. Add to that all the learning opportunities like the Safari library and certification options, and we have a winner.”

Included in the developerWorks Premium offering is:

• A 12-month Bluemix subscription to develop apps with services including Watson, IoT, mobile and more
• Twelve months of access to the SoftLayer infrastructure to create a custom development foundation
• IBM MobileFirst developer edition, with three easy-to-install development tools
• Access to more than 500 Safari titles, including online books, videos and conference replays
• Deep discounts to IBM and partner developer events, including BOX Dev
• Complimentary certification test for IBM Certified Application Developer
• Github Micro personal plan with five private repositories for one month
• Expert help from the developerWorks premium forum
• Exclusive content from IBM technical experts (webinars, podcasts and demos)
• Access to MobileFirst developer Edition

Subscribers gain all of the above while retaining access to developerWorks’ 40,000+ resources, including technical content, evaluation software, and community discussions that focus on IBM software products and open-standards technologies.

IBM developerWorks is the premier web-based technical resource and professional network for IT practitioners, students, and university faculty worldwide. Four million developers use developerWorks each month, with language support in English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Vietnamese, Portuguese and Spanish.