The world of programming languages is ever-evolving, with new languages entering the market from time to time. But amidst all these trends, one programming language that has stood the test of time is COBOL. COBOL stands for Common Business-Oriented Language. Contrary to the belief that it is outdated, COBOL continues to be used in a variety of systems even today, including financial, banking, and administrative systems. This article aims to provide a deep dive into the world of COBOL programming.
A Brief History of COBOL
COBOL was first developed in the late 1950s by CODASYL (Conference on Data Systems Language), an international committee of large computer users. The aim of COBOL was to create a programming language that streamlined business data processing. It was designed to be English-like and easy to learn, even for people without a software background. In short, COBOL was designed to be a user-friendly language that simplified the programming process.
COBOL’s Current Relevance
COBOL is more than 60 years old now and yet its importance hasn’t diminished. It continues to be heavily used in the business world, particularly in the banking, insurance, and finance sectors. Major multinational corporations, governments, and enterprises still run on systems coded in COBOL. An estimated 80% of the world’s business transactions are processed in COBOL.
COBOL Programming: An Overview
COBOL is a high-level programming language. It is known for its excellent file handling capabilities and impressive compatibility across systems. Although COBOL’s syntax is verbose, it is relatively simple to learn and understand as its syntax is very similar to English.
COBOL programs are broken down into four divisions: The Identification Division, the Environment Division, the Data Division, and the Procedure Division. Each division has its own specific role in defining and processing data. As a result of this structure, COBOL programs are easy to debug, modify, and maintain.
COBOL: Strengths and Limitations
COBOL’s key strength lies in its strength in handling massive volumes of data and in processing transactions. This makes it ideal for large financial and business enterprise applications. Its English-like syntax and structured programming approach make it easier to read and maintain.
However, COBOL does have its limitations. It is not suited for scientific computing or graphical user interfaces. Some programmers find its verbosity cumbersome and its procedural style outdated compared with object-oriented programming languages.
Conclusion
Despite the advent of modern programming languages, COBOL continues to hold its ground. Its longevity is a testament to its robustness and adaptability. While it may not be the most cutting-edge or trendy language to learn, it remains a vital tool in the global business ecosystem. Aspiring and experienced programmers alike would do well to consider adding COBOL to their repertoire.
FAQs
1. Is COBOL still used in 2022?
Yes, COBOL is heavily used today especially in banking, insurance, and finance industries.
2. Why is COBOL so robust?
COBOL is known for its impressive file-handling capabilities, straightforward syntax, and compatibility across systems. This, along with its ability to process large volumes of data, adds to its robustness.
3. What are the divisions of a COBOL program?
A COBOL program is divided into four sections: the Identification Division, the Environment Division, the Data Division, and the Procedure Division, each with its unique role in data definition and processing.
4. What is the primary weakness of COBOL?
The primary limitation of COBOL lies in its unsuitability for scientific computing and graphical user interfaces. Its verbosity can sometimes be viewed as cumbersome.
5. Why was COBOL invented?
COBOL was invented in the late 1950s to streamline business data processing. It was designed to be straightforward and easy to learn, even for individuals without a software background.
