COBOL tutorial

Understand readable business data processing and the systems that still depend on it.

cobol16 lessons

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. HELLO.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY 'HELLO FROM COBOL'.
    STOP RUN.

Designed forLegacy-system and enterprise learners

Learning formatShort explanations, examples, practice connections

Source privacyCompiler text remains inside your browser

COURSE CURRICULUM

16 lessons in a clear order

Finish one section at a time or jump directly to a concept you need.

Foundations

COBOL divisions and batch execution

Learn how cobol divisions and batch execution works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Columns, clauses, and readable statements

Learn how columns, clauses, and readable statements works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Core concepts

Data names, levels, and working storage

Learn how data names, levels, and working storage works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

PICTURE clauses, groups, and numeric formats

Learn how picture clauses, groups, and numeric formats works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Arithmetic verbs, conditions, and rounding

Learn how arithmetic verbs, conditions, and rounding works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Control flow

IF, EVALUATE, and business rules

Learn how if, evaluate, and business rules works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

PERFORM, iteration, and table traversal

Learn how perform, iteration, and table traversal works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Data and composition

Paragraphs, sections, and callable programs

Learn how paragraphs, sections, and callable programs works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Tables, OCCURS, indexes, and records

Learn how tables, occurs, indexes, and records works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Alphanumeric data, editing, and reports

Learn how alphanumeric data, editing, and reports works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Reliability and structure

File status, validation, and exception clauses

Learn how file status, validation, and exception clauses works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Copybooks, linkage, and program organization

Learn how copybooks, linkage, and program organization works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Applied engineering

Records, keys, and business data models

Learn how records, keys, and business data models works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Sequential files, indexed files, and transactions

Learn how sequential files, indexed files, and transactions works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Testing batch jobs and reconciliations

Learn how testing batch jobs and reconciliations works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Capstone

Capstone: a validated COBOL report

Learn how capstone: a validated cobol report works in COBOL, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.