COBOL

COBOL is a <a href="/facts/Compiled_language/WRqIRjFx">compiled</a> English-like <a href="/facts/Computer_programming_language/cWTYbgWa">computer programming language</a> designed for business use. It is an <a href="/facts/Imperative_programming/6b5dUnE1">imperative</a>, <a href="/facts/Procedural_programming/7r5xz7kx">procedural</a>, and, since 2002, <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented</a> language. COBOL is primarily used in business, finance, and administrative systems for companies and governments. COBOL is still widely used in applications deployed on <a href="/facts/Mainframe_computer/nrBR6rWa">mainframe computers</a>, such as large-scale <a href="/facts/Batch_processing/hKY2rX3N">batch</a> and <a href="/facts/Transaction_processing/Q0WHeD9R">transaction processing</a> jobs. Many large financial institutions were developing new systems in the language as late as 2006, but most programming in COBOL today is purely to maintain existing applications. Programs are being moved to new platforms, rewritten in modern languages, or replaced with other software.
COBOL was designed in 1959 by <a href="/facts/CODASYL/Vj9bpJ33">CODASYL</a> and was partly based on the programming language <a href="/facts/FLOW-MATIC/jFAdxFkI">FLOW-MATIC</a>, designed by <a href="/facts/Grace_Hopper/MEhbGazn">Grace Hopper</a>. It was created as part of a <a href="/facts/US_Department_of_Defense/dWAvf7e3">U.S. Department of Defense</a> effort to create a <a href="/facts/Software_portability/tWKVGCBb">portable</a> programming language for data processing. It was originally seen as a stopgap, but the Defense Department promptly pressured computer manufacturers to provide it, resulting in its widespread adoption. It was <a href="/facts/Standardized/vS9AhNMS">standardized</a> in 1968 and has been revised five times. Expansions include support for <a href="/facts/Structured_programming/zA8b8dP1">structured</a> and <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented programming</a>. The current standard is <a href="/facts/ISO/cSITxcGV">ISO</a>/<a href="/facts/International_Electrotechnical_Commission/hSK0kjwI">IEC</a> 1989:2023.
COBOL statements have <a href="/facts/Prose/cwoJry3a">prose</a> syntax such as MOVE x TO y, which was designed to be self-documenting and highly readable. However, it is verbose and uses over 300 <a href="/facts/Reserved_word/pHDlUUgY">reserved words</a> compared to the succinct and mathematically inspired syntax of other languages.
The COBOL code is split into four divisions (identification, environment, data, and procedure), containing a rigid hierarchy of sections, paragraphs, and sentences. Lacking a large <a href="/facts/Standard_library/g9QS3vy0">standard library</a>, the standard specifies 43 statements, 87 functions, and just one class.
COBOL has been <a href="/facts/Criticism_of_COBOL/wVnhqs0k">criticized</a> for its verbosity, design process, and poor support for <a href="/facts/Structured_programming/zA8b8dP1">structured programming</a>. These weaknesses often result in monolithic programs that are hard to comprehend as a whole, despite their local readability.
For years, COBOL has been assumed as a programming language for business operations in mainframes, although in recent years, many COBOL operations have been moved to <a href="/facts/Cloud_computing/guhg0FGV">cloud computing</a>.

COBOL open-in-new

COBOL