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COBOL Programming with VSCode

Jeff Bisti

Professor Tak Auyeung of American River College, said it beautifully, “A programming language is not a fashion statement” it is used for a purpose. Whether it is to add new features, modify logic, create APIs to integrate it into other applications, or implement modern development practices, businesses around the world need application developers who know COBOL.

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Professor Tak Auyeung of American River College, said it beautifully, “A programming language is not a fashion statement” it is used for a purpose. Whether it is to add new features, modify logic, create APIs to integrate it into other applications, or implement modern development practices, businesses around the world need application developers who know COBOL.

This introductory COBOL course helps a novice learn the Structure of COBOL programs, Data types & Variable Handling, Intrinsic Functions, Branching logic and more. The goal of the course is to enable the participant to be able to write basic COBOL programs. This is a fantastic compliment to the IBM z/OS Practitioner path for the IBM Mainframe.

Join the COBOL Fridays web series. These webinars are curated for first-time programmers, lifelong learners, and anyone who's interested in learning COBOL. http://ibm.biz/cfcoursera

On successful completion of this course, learners are eligible to earn their COBOL Programming with VSCode badge.

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What's inside

Syllabus

COBOL Basics
COBOL Structure and Cross-Program Communication
Defining and Manipulating COBOL Data Names/Types
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Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Relevant to the workforce, who need developers that know COBOL
Meets industry standards by teaching COBOL
Geared towards beginners, building a foundation in COBOL programming
On successful completion, learners are eligible to earn their COBOL Programming with VSCode badge
Provides a basic understanding of COBOL for use in various applications or integrations

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Reviews summary

Cobol basics with visual studio code

Learners say that this online course titled "COBOL Programming with VSCode" is largely positive. It's seen as a great introduction to COBOL, with engaging assignments that demonstrate key COBOL concepts. It leverages video lectures, visual aids, labs, and quizzes to teach students the basics of using this language. Reviewers also mention the enthusiastic instructor as a positive quality of the course.
Instructor is very engaging and enthusiastic.
"Jeff Bisti and his video team do a super job with the videos and I like Jeff's style, his delivery, and his sense of humor."
"This was a good course once I had VS set up."
"I really liked the course, for the sequence in approaching the subjects, but mainly for the update of Enterprise COBOL for z/OS, which is quite different from previous versions, notably the "Functions", which is very cool."
Course is well-structured with clear explanations.
"Thought that this was a great course, with well put together material."
"The videos are great really informative not too heavy and entertaining."
"Very good course for starting with COBOL or remove the dust and remind just is my case."
Labs are practical and help reinforce concepts.
"The actual programming work is very simple in comparison."
"Jeff Bisti as the instructor. He did a fantastic job explaining the COBOL concepts and the labs were very engaging as well as informative."
"I really liked the course, for the sequence in approaching the subjects, but mainly for the update of Enterprise COBOL for z/OS, which is quite different from previous versions, notably the "Functions", which is very cool."
Setting up the development environment can be challenging.
"The setup is the hardest part and needs work for the instructions to be smooth and polished."
"I am distracted by errors in the course. Week 3 quiz scores 2 (two) questions incorrectly."
"There are a few issues with Labs not being in the correct spots considering what's covered in the videos/readings, but otherwise a good course."
The course could provide deeper dives into advanced topics.
"It would be nice to have direct access to mainframe instead of going to a different site and have to follow all these other instructions."
"It was a great survey of the language and desktop development environment to work with the language."
"I had hoped for more depth."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in COBOL Programming with VSCode with these activities:
Review COBOL syntax and keywords
Ensures familiarity with the COBOL syntax and keywords, providing a strong foundation for understanding code and writing programs.
Browse courses on Programming Basics
Show steps
  • Create a list of all the COBOL keywords and their usage
  • Write down examples of using each keyword in a COBOL program
  • Reference online documentation or tutorials for additional clarification
Review basic data types
Reinforces knowledge of the basic data types used in COBOL programming, ensuring a solid foundation for the course.
Browse courses on Programming Basics
Show steps
  • Go over the different data types in COBOL (numeric, character, etc.)
  • Identify the appropriate data type for different types of data
  • Practice declaring and initializing variables of different data types
Follow online tutorials on COBOL structure
Provides a structured and interactive way to learn the fundamentals of COBOL program structure, syntax, and conventions.
Browse courses on Programming Fundamentals
Show steps
  • Find a series of online tutorials that cover COBOL structure
  • Follow the tutorials step-by-step, taking notes and experimenting with the code
  • Complete the practice exercises and assignments provided in the tutorials
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Write a COBOL program that performs a simple calculation
Creates an opportunity for students to apply their understanding of COBOL data types and branching logic.
Browse courses on COBOL Programming
Show steps
  • Define the data types of the input and output variables.
  • Write the code to perform the calculation.
  • Write the code to display the output.
Practice writing COBOL programs to solve simple problems
Provides students with an opportunity to reinforce their understanding of COBOL syntax and logic.
Browse courses on COBOL Programming
Show steps
  • Identify a simple problem that can be solved using COBOL.
  • Design the COBOL program to solve the problem.
  • Write the COBOL program.
  • Test and debug the COBOL program.
Attend COBOL community meetups
Provides opportunities to connect with other COBOL professionals, learn about industry trends, and stay updated on the latest developments.
Browse courses on Networking
Show steps
  • Find local or virtual COBOL community groups and meetups
  • Attend meetups and engage with other attendees
  • Participate in discussions and share knowledge and experiences
Solve COBOL coding challenges
Challenges learners to apply their knowledge of COBOL syntax and logic to solve real-world programming problems, enhancing their problem-solving and coding skills.
Browse courses on Problem Solving
Show steps
  • Find online platforms or resources that offer COBOL coding challenges
  • Select a challenge that aligns with the current course topic
  • Work through the challenge, debugging and refining code as needed
  • Review solutions and compare approaches with others in the community
Build a simple COBOL program
Allows learners to apply their cumulative knowledge and skills by creating a functional COBOL program, reinforcing their understanding and building confidence.
Browse courses on Software Development
Show steps
  • Identify a simple problem or task that can be solved using COBOL
  • Design and plan the program's structure and logic
  • Write and debug the COBOL code
  • Test the program and refine it based on the results

Career center

Learners who complete COBOL Programming with VSCode will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Applications Software Developer
Applications Software Developers conceive, design, build, test, deploy, maintain, and improve software. Mastering the techniques in this course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you the ability to work with large legacy systems, helping you to maintain and advance your applications. Whether you are working on web, mobile, or desktop applications, the fundamentals of COBOL - as taught in this course - will increase your flexibility and enable you to go further in your career as an Applications Software Developer.
Software Engineer
Software Engineers research, design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and improve software. Because COBOL is a staple legacy system, it is critical for the modern Software Engineer to understand how to maintain and advance these systems. No matter what industry you wish to work in, having a foundation in COBOL will raise your value to any team.
Computer Systems Analyst
Computer Systems Analysts study the way that computer systems are used in an organization. This includes planning, designing, and implementing new systems. COBOL is an important language for Computer System Analysts because it is still widely used in legacy systems. By understanding COBOL, Computer Systems Analysts can help organizations as they plan to maintain legacy systems and may migrate to new systems. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will provide you with a strong foundation in COBOL, giving you an edge on other Analysts.
Database Administrator
Database Administrators build and maintain databases. They also ensure that data is secure and accessible to authorized users. COBOL is often used in legacy systems that store important data. Database Administrators who understand COBOL can help organizations to maintain and migrate these systems. By taking this course on COBOL Programming with VSCode, you will gain the skills you need to work with COBOL databases and will position yourself for success in the field of Database Administration.
Computer Programmer
Computer Programmers create and maintain software programs. They write, test, and debug code to ensure that programs run correctly. COBOL is a widely-used language in legacy systems, so it is important for Computer Programmers to have a strong understanding of COBOL. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you hands-on experience with COBOL, helping you to build a strong foundation in this essential language.
Web Developer
Web Developers design, develop, and maintain websites and web applications. COBOL may not be as relevant to Web Development as other modern languages, but with the recent resurgence in popularity of COBOL, it may be possible to find opportunities to work with COBOL in this field. By learning COBOL, Web Developers can increase their knowledge of legacy systems and may open up new career paths.
Information Technology (IT) Manager
Information Technology (IT) Managers plan and implement IT strategies for organizations. They also manage IT staff and budgets. IT managers need to have a good understanding of COBOL in order to make informed decisions about legacy systems. If you want to advance your career in IT management, taking this course on COBOL Programming with VSCode may be helpful.
Data Analyst
Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to help businesses make informed decisions. COBOL is sometimes used in legacy systems that store important data. By understanding COBOL, Data Analysts can help organizations to maintain and migrate these systems and can better understand the data they contain. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you the skills you need to work with COBOL data, helping you to advance your career as a Data Analyst.
Information Security Analyst
Information Security Analysts protect computer systems and networks from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. COBOL is sometimes used in legacy systems that contain sensitive data. By understanding COBOL, Information Security Analysts can help organizations to secure these systems. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you the skills you need to work with COBOL systems, helping you to advance your career as an Information Security Analyst.
IT Auditor
IT Auditors evaluate and report on the effectiveness of an organization's IT controls. They also make recommendations for improvements. COBOL is sometimes used in legacy systems that contain sensitive data. By understanding COBOL, IT Auditors can help organizations to ensure that these systems are secure and compliant. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you the skills you need to work with COBOL systems, helping you to advance your career as an IT Auditor.
Systems Engineer
Systems Engineers design, implement, and maintain computer systems. They also troubleshoot and solve problems. COBOL is sometimes used in legacy systems that are critical to an organization's operations. By understanding COBOL, Systems Engineers can help organizations to maintain and migrate these systems. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you the skills you need to work with COBOL systems, helping you to advance your career as a Systems Engineer.
Technical Support Specialist
Technical Support Specialists provide technical support to users of computer systems and software. They also troubleshoot and solve problems. COBOL is sometimes used in legacy systems that are critical to an organization's operations. By understanding COBOL, Technical Support Specialists can help organizations to maintain these systems and resolve issues more quickly. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you the skills you need to work with COBOL systems, helping you to advance your career as a Technical Support Specialist.
Network Administrator
Network Administrators manage and maintain computer networks. They also troubleshoot and solve problems. COBOL is sometimes used in legacy systems that are critical to an organization's operations. By understanding COBOL, Network Administrators can help organizations to maintain these systems and resolve issues more quickly. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you the skills you need to work with COBOL systems, helping you to advance your career as a Network Administrator.
Mainframe Software Developer
Mainframe Software Developers develop and maintain software for mainframe computers. COBOL is a widely-used language on mainframes, so it is essential for Mainframe Software Developers to have a strong understanding of COBOL. This course on COBOL Programming with VSCode will give you hands-on experience with COBOL, helping you to build a strong foundation in this essential language and begin work as a Mainframe Software Developer.

Reading list

We've selected seven books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in COBOL Programming with VSCode.
Comprehensive guide to the COBOL programming language. It covers all the major topics of the language, including data structures, file handling, and database programming.
Comprehensive guide to the COBOL programming language. It covers all the major topics of the language, including data structures, file handling, and database programming.
Comprehensive guide to the COBOL programming language. It covers all the major topics of the language, including data structures, file handling, and database programming.
Comprehensive guide to the COBOL programming language. It covers all the major topics of the language, including data structures, file handling, and database programming.
Comprehensive guide to the COBOL programming language. It covers all the major topics of the language, including data structures, file handling, and database programming.
Basic introduction to the COBOL programming language. It covers the basics of the language, including data types, variables, operators, and control structures.

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