Cobol Introduction

Introduction to COBOL ?

COBOL Stands for Common Business Oriented Language. It was specifically developed to suit business applications in which large volumes of data are used. The COBOL language has its own set of rules, which must be strictly followed.

                    COBOL is non-mathematical in contrast to other programming language like FORTRAN and BASIC, which are based upon algebric, symbolic or algorithmic notations. One of COBOL’s important features is that it is largely self-documenting a programmer can understand most of a COBOL program simply be reading the program itself .

• COBOL is a third-generation high-level language, procedure-oriented and machine-independent.
• COBOL is a Business-Oriented language
• COBOL is a standard language
• COBOL is an English like language
• COBOL is a user friendly language
• COBOL was initially developed with an objective to provide for the handling of mass storage of data  and simple processing on magnetic tapes. 

History of COBOL:
            

• In 1959 several large business organization government, computer manufactures, and other interested parties formed a committee to develop the language. The committee [ named CODASYL for Conference on Data Systems Languages] developed the specifications for a language called COBOL. 
• COBOL was developed and is maintained by CODASYL, it has established it as a standard language by American National Standard Institute (ANSI).    
• The suppliers of COBOL compilers generally base them on the American National standard COBOL an initial standard issued in 1968 was revised in 1974 and again in the mid 1980s.
• The American national standard COBOL recognizes different levels of COBOL implementation and provides standards for each.              

 The COBOL language closely resembles the English Language. A COBOL program is written using an English-like syntax that looks and reads like ordinary Business English. However,  COBOL is a structured programming language and thus requires that a program be written in a specific format. Thus, a COBOL program is a lengthy one consisting of COBOL words, clauses, sentences and paragraphs.

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