Is There Still a Demand for COBOL Programming in the Modern Era?

There remains a significant demand for COBOL programming, particularly in specific sectors. This article delves into the reasons why COBOL is still relevant and thriving in the digital age, despite its age.

Legacy Systems in Finance, Insurance, and Government

Large organizations, particularly in finance, insurance, and government, rely heavily on legacy systems written in COBOL. These systems are often mission-critical and require constant maintenance and updates. For instance, many financial institutions and government departments depend on COBOL to conduct essential transactions and operations, such as processing ATM transactions and credit card purchases. These systems are not just legacy in name but remain integral to daily operations.

Modernization Efforts

Companies are increasingly looking to modernize their COBOL applications. This process may involve integrating COBOL applications with newer technologies or migrating them to more modern programming languages. For example, financial institutions might want to integrate their COBOL-based banking systems with mobile banking apps or integrate them with cloud-based systems. This creates a demand for developers who can bridge the gap between legacy COBOL systems and modern technologies. For instance, the GCC project's efforts in 2021 to add a COBOL frontend to gcc highlight the ongoing relevance of COBOL in the modern IT landscape.

Support and Maintenance

Supporting and maintaining COBOL applications is a significant ongoing need. These applications are still in use, and maintaining them is crucial for preventing system failures and ensuring they meet current business needs. This continuous maintenance requirement helps preserve the reliability and performance of these legacy systems. Companies are looking for experienced COBOL programmers to support these systems and ensure they remain functional and up-to-date.

Limited Workforce and Skills Gap

The declining number of COBOL programmers is exacerbating a skills gap. As many experienced COBOL developers retire, the demand for qualified COBOL programmers increases. This shortage of trained professionals makes COBOL skills particularly valuable. Many educational institutions and online platforms have started offering COBOL training, recognizing the ongoing demand for these skills. Companies are willing to invest heavily in training and hiring to maintain and extend the life of existing COBOL systems.

COBOL's Nifty Record-Oriented I/O

COBOL is not merely a relic of the past; it has unique features that make it indispensable in certain contexts. A standout feature is its support for record-oriented I/O, which describes virtually all applications. Traditional programming languages like C treat I/O as an external library function, but COBOL integrates I/O directly into the language. This integration reduces the need for complex external libraries and minimizes runtime variables, making the code more predictable and easier to maintain.

For example, in a CGI web application, developers often need to handle various forms of input and output. COBOL simplifies this process by reducing run-time variables to compile-time constants, eliminating much of the gobbledygook associated with more modern languages. This feature makes COBOL particularly suitable for systems where performance and reliability are critical, such as financial and transactional systems.

The GCC Project and the Future of COBOL

The GCC project's effort to add a COBOL frontend in 2021 is a testament to the language's continued relevance. This project demonstrates that there is finally a way to run COBOL on Linux, which could renew interest in the language. While COBOL might not replace more modern languages in every scenario, its specialized capabilities make it a valuable tool for certain applications. As long as organizations rely on legacy systems, there will be a demand for skilled COBOL programmers to maintain and extend these systems.

In summary, while the demand for COBOL is not as high as for more modern languages, there is still a niche market for COBOL programmers, especially in industries that depend on legacy systems. As organizations continue to modernize, the demand for COBOL specialists may increase, making this language a valuable skill set to acquire.