The COBOL Language

COBOL (COmmon Business Oriented Language) is the programming language most widely and extensively used in commercial and administrative data processing.

This COBOL implementation is a superset of the ANSI and ISO COBOL standard as specified in ANSI X3.23-1974 (ISO 1989-1978), and of the current ANSI and ISO COBOL standard as specified in ANSI X3.23-1985 (IS 1989:1985), ANSI X3.23a-1989 (IS 1989:1985/AM1), and ANSI X3.23b-1993 (IS 1989:1985/AM2). Language extensions include:

Combinations of these extensions are permissible in program source.

The ANSI COBOL 1974 and 1985 modules that are fully implemented are:

This COBOL system meets the certification requirements for the above modules of the COBOL Compiler Validation System (CCVS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.

MF A number of additional enhancements to the COBOL language are present: