Cobol. For many, the name alone evokes images of dusty server rooms and punch cards. But far from it! Although the programming language is already over 60 years old, it is far from being retired. In fact, countless applications worldwide still run on Cobol today - in areas that affect us all.
Cobol in Everyday Use
Finance: Banks and insurance companies are the classic areas of application for Cobol. Here, the language still handles a large proportion of all transactions, account management, and insurance policies.
Public Sector: Government agencies and ministries rely on Cobol for tax calculations, pension administration, resident registration offices, and many other areas.
Airlines: Cobol also plays an important role in aviation. Booking systems, flight schedule management, and baggage handling - the language ensures smooth operations here.
Logistics and Trade: From merchandise management and warehouse management to checkout - Cobol ensures efficient processes in the background.
Why Cobol Is So Durable
Stability and Reliability: Cobol programs have often been running stably and reliably for decades - an important feature for critical systems.
Large-Scale Data Processing: The language is designed to process large amounts of data quickly and efficiently.
Maintainability: Although Cobol is considered complex, the code is usually well documented and structured, which makes maintenance easier.
The Future of Cobol
Even though Cobol faces major challenges (skills shortage, modernization pressure), the language is likely to remain with us for some time to come. Replacing the countless Cobol systems is complex and costly.
Instead, many companies and organizations are turning to hybrid approaches: they are modernizing their Cobol systems step by step and integrating new technologies to remain future-proof.
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