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Cobol Hello World

Introduction to COBOL​

COBOL, which stands for COmmon Business-Oriented Language, is a high-level programming language that was designed for business data processing. It was first developed in the late 1950s and has since become one of the most widely used programming languages in the business world.

COBOL was created with the goal of being easily readable and understandable by non-programmers, making it accessible to individuals with a business or accounting background. It is primarily used for creating and maintaining large-scale business applications, such as those found in banking, insurance, and government sectors.

History of COBOL​

COBOL was developed in the late 1950s by a committee led by Grace Hopper. The language was designed to be machine-independent and to support data processing tasks typically found in business applications. COBOL became an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard in 1968.

Over the years, COBOL has undergone several revisions and updates to keep up with the changing needs of the business world. Despite being over 60 years old, COBOL still remains relevant today, powering critical systems in various industries.

Features of COBOL​

COBOL offers several features that make it suitable for business-oriented programming:

  1. English-like Syntax: COBOL uses a syntax that resembles natural language, making it easier for non-programmers to understand and read the code.

  2. Data Description: COBOL provides a powerful data description facility, allowing programmers to define complex data structures and record layouts easily.

  3. File Handling: COBOL offers built-in support for file handling operations, making it convenient to read and write data from files.

  4. Decimal Arithmetic: COBOL supports accurate decimal arithmetic, which is crucial for financial calculations.

  5. Error Handling: COBOL includes comprehensive error handling capabilities, allowing programmers to handle exceptions and errors effectively.

  6. Record Sorting: COBOL provides built-in features for sorting records, which is often required in business applications.

  7. Integration with Legacy Systems: COBOL can easily integrate with existing legacy systems, making it an ideal choice for modernizing old business applications.

Hello World Example​

Let's take a look at a simple "Hello, World!" program written in COBOL:

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. HELLO-WORLD.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY 'Hello, World!'.
STOP RUN.

In this example:

  • IDENTIFICATION DIVISION specifies the name and purpose of the program.
  • PROGRAM-ID declares the program name as HELLO-WORLD.
  • PROCEDURE DIVISION contains the main logic of the program.
  • DISPLAY is used to output the text "Hello, World!" to the screen.
  • STOP RUN terminates the program execution.

Comparison with Alternatives​

COBOL is often compared to other programming languages commonly used in the business world, such as Java and Python. Here are a few points to consider:

  • Readability: COBOL's English-like syntax makes it highly readable and understandable, especially for individuals without a programming background. Java and Python, although popular, may be more challenging for non-programmers to comprehend.

  • Legacy Systems: COBOL has extensive support for legacy systems, making it the language of choice for modernizing and maintaining existing business applications. Java and Python are better suited for newer systems and may require more effort for integration with legacy code.

  • Industry Standard: COBOL is still widely used in industries such as banking, insurance, and government, where it has been a standard for many years. Java and Python are more versatile and have broader applications beyond business data processing.

For more information and official documentation, you can visit the official COBOL website.

COBOL's longevity and continued usage in critical business systems highlight its reliability and importance in the business world. Despite its age, COBOL remains a valuable tool for developing and maintaining large-scale business applications.