The IMS data manipulation language, which is a common high-level interface between a user application and IMS. DL/I calls are invoked from application programmes that are written in languages such as Java, PL/I, COBOL, VS Pascal, C, and Ada. DL/I can also be invoked from assembler language application programmes by subroutine calls. IMS lets the user define data structures, relate structures to the application, load structures, and reorganise structures.