Cobol: A look into the Crystal Ball – Future Trends and Technologies

The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated! This saying probably applies to no other programming language as much as it does to Cobol. Although the end of the Cobol era has been prophesied for years, the language persists in many areas of the IT landscape. But what does the future of Cobol really look like?

Trends Shaping Cobol

• Modernization Instead of Replacement Completely replacing Cobol systems is often too complex and costly. Instead, companies are focusing on gradual modernization, e.g., through refactoring, rehosting, or API integration.

• Cloud Computing More and more companies are moving their IT infrastructure to the cloud. Cobol applications are also finding their place in the cloud, be it through rehosting on virtual machines or the use of cloud-based Cobol platforms.

• Automation The automation of IT processes is also playing an increasingly important role in the Cobol world. Tools for automated testing, deployment, and monitoring facilitate the maintenance and further development of Cobol applications.

• DevOps

  DevOps principles, which emphasize close collaboration between development and operations, are also finding their way into the Cobol world and accelerating development cycles.

• Search for New Talent The shortage of skilled Cobol professionals is a challenge. Companies and organizations are responding with training initiatives to cultivate the next generation of Cobol developers.

Technologies for the Cobol of the Future

• Containerization (e.g., Docker) Containers allow the encapsulation of Cobol applications, facilitating deployment and scaling in modern IT environments.

• Microservices Dividing monolithic Cobol applications into smaller, independent microservices increases flexibility and enables the integration of modern technologies.

• Low-Code/No-Code Platforms Low-code/no-code platforms are also gaining importance in the Cobol environment. They enable even business users to create simple applications, thus relieving the IT department.

Conclusion

While the future of Cobol may not be as rosy as it was in the glory days of mainframes, the language is here to stay. By skillfully combining proven Cobol applications with modern technologies and approaches, the language can continue to play an important role in the IT world for years to come.