Differences Between XCTL and LINK Commands in CICS

The XCTL and LINK commands in CICS are used for program control transfer and communication between programs. The main difference between them lies in their functionality and impact on the calling program.

• XCTL Command: The XCTL command transfers control from the calling program to the target program. It completely relinquishes control over the calling program and does not return control back to it after the target program completes its execution.
• LINK Command: The LINK command also transfers control to the target program but retains a control link to the calling program. This means that control returns to the calling program after the target program execution is completed. The calling program can continue executing after the LINK command.

It is important to carefully choose between XCTL and LINK commands in CICS based on the requirement and the desired control flow of the program.

Remember to consider the impact of each command on program execution and the need for control transfer when deciding whether to use XCTL or LINK in your CICS programs.