Introduction to COBOL

COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) is a high-level, procedural programming language that was first developed in 1959 by CODASYL (Conference on Data Systems Languages). It was designed to be used for business applications and has since become one of the most widely used languages in the world.

History of COBOL

COBOL was created as a response to the need for a language that could be easily understood by non-technical users. The first version of COBOL, COBOL I, was published in 1959 and was designed to run on the IBM 7090 computer. Since then, there have been several revisions to the language, including COBOL II (1961), COBOL 60 (1963), COBOL 61 (1964), and COBOL 85 (1985).

Features of COBOL

COBOL is a high-level language that uses English-like syntax, making it easy to read and write. Some of the key features of COBOL include:

Procedural Programming

COBOL programs are structured as procedures, which are blocks of code that perform specific tasks.

Structured Data Types

COBOL supports a range of data types, including numeric, character, and date/time fields.

File Input/Output

COBOL has built-in support for file input/output operations, making it easy to work with databases and other external files.

Conditional Statements

COBOL includes conditional statements (e.g., IF-THEN) that allow programs to make decisions based on conditions.

Loops

COBOL supports both iterative loops (DO-WHILE) and recursive loops (PERFORM).

Syntax of COBOL

The syntax of COBOL is designed to be easy to read and write. Here are some basic elements:

Identifiers

Identifiers in COBOL are used to identify variables, files, and other program entities.

Variables

COBOL variables can hold a range of data types, including numeric, character, and date/time fields.

File Names

COBOL file names must follow specific conventions (e.g., name.ext).

Basic COBOL Program Structure

A basic COBOL program consists of the following elements:

1. PROGRAM-ID: The name of the program.
2. ENVIRONMENT DIVISION: Declarations for external files and variables.
3. DATA DIVISION: Definitions of data structures (e.g., tables, records).
4. PROCEDURE DIVISION: Main program logic.

Example COBOL Program

Here is a simple example COBOL program that demonstrates basic syntax:

PROGRAM-ID. HELLO.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01  NAME     PIC X(10).
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
MAIN-ROUTINE.
DISPLAY 'Hello, World!'
ACCEPT NAME
DISPLAY 'Your name is: ', NAME
STOP RUN.

This program uses the DISPLAY statement to print a message to the screen and accepts input from the user using the ACCEPT statement.

Advantages of COBOL

COBOL has several advantages that have contributed to its widespread use:

1. Easy to Learn: COBOL’s syntax is designed to be easy to read and write, making it a great choice for beginners.
2. High-Level Language: COBOL allows developers to focus on business logic without worrying about low-level details.
3. Platform-Independent: COBOL programs can run on a range of platforms, including mainframes, minicomputers, and PCs.

Conclusion

COBOL is a powerful, high-level language that has been widely used for decades. Its easy-to-read syntax and built-in support for business applications make it an ideal choice for a wide range of applications. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to upgrade your skills, COBOL is definitely worth exploring.

Table of COBOL Operators

Operator	Description
+	Addition
-	Subtraction
*	Multiplication
/	Division
MOD	Modulus (remainder)

Comparison of COBOL with Other Languages

Language	COBOL	Python	Java
Syntax	English-like	Simple, concise	Verbose
Data Types	Numeric, character, date/time	Dynamic typing	Static typing
File Input/Output	Built-in support	Modules (e.g., open)	Files and streams

This concludes our introduction to COBOL. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, we hope this article has provided valuable insights into the world of COBOL programming!