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Code Loops in COBOL

Judy Richardson

In this project, you will enhance your COBOL skills by learning to incorporate loops into your COBOL code. A loop enables a program to repeat a set of steps over and over until the process is complete. Since one of COBOL’s strengths is its ability to process large volumes of data, using loops is an essential skill for any COBOL programmer. Although COBOL is an old language, skilled COBOL programmers are in demand, since it is estimated that up to 70% of large corporations still use COBOL for processing data in their mission-critical systems.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Develops a core skill set that is fundamental to COBOL programming
Emphasizes the ongoing use of COBOL in critical modern systems
Introduces a foundational concept (looping) that is essential for COBOL programmers
Taught by an instructor with undisclosed experience or expertise in COBOL programming

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Reviews summary

Essential cobol loop programming

According to students, this course is highly valuable for enhancing existing COBOL skills, particularly in mastering loops for processing large volumes of data. Learners find it provides practical applications crucial for career development in industries still relying on this mainframe language. It is generally described as offering clear explanations of foundational concepts and providing sufficient hands-on practice. While COBOL is an older language, many confirm the skills taught remain highly relevant for professionals.
Confirms COBOL skills remain in demand for professionals.
"Despite its age, this course proves COBOL is still vital for many corporate systems."
"I was skeptical about learning COBOL, but this course showed its ongoing demand in enterprise IT."
"It truly highlighted why COBOL expertise is still sought after in the job market."
Provides sufficient opportunities for practical coding.
"The hands-on exercises allowed me to truly grasp the looping logic in COBOL."
"I particularly liked the coding challenges; they reinforced what was taught effectively."
"The demos were great; seeing the code in action helped cement my understanding of the concepts."
Explanations are clear, building a solid understanding.
"The instructor explained loops in COBOL very clearly, even for someone who hasn't touched COBOL in a while."
"I appreciated how the course broke down complex looping structures into easy-to-digest modules."
"It gave me a solid understanding of how COBOL handles iterative processes, which was a knowledge gap."
Crucial for professional COBOL skill enhancement.
"This course directly helped me apply COBOL loops to my daily work with legacy systems."
"I found the concepts immediately applicable to handling large datasets in my professional role."
"It's rare to find COBOL courses this focused on real-world scenarios; highly valuable for my career."
Best suited for those with existing COBOL familiarity.
"This course assumes some basic COBOL knowledge; it's not for absolute beginners in the language."
"While useful, I think a pre-requisite on basic COBOL syntax would benefit many prospective students."
"If you're new to COBOL entirely, you might struggle as it dives straight into loops."

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 Code Loops in COBOL with these activities:
Review COBOL Basics
Review fundamental COBOL concepts to strengthen foundational knowledge before diving into loops.
Browse courses on COBOL
Show steps
  • Go over basic COBOL syntax
  • Practice writing simple COBOL programs
  • Review data types and variables
Organize Course Notes on Loops
Review and consolidate your lecture notes and other course materials on loops to improve comprehension and retention.
Show steps
  • Go over lecture notes and identify key concepts
  • Organize notes logically, highlighting important points
  • Create summaries or flashcards for quick review
Explore COBOL Loop Tutorials
Seek out online tutorials or resources that provide additional guidance and examples on COBOL loops.
Show steps
  • Search for COBOL loop tutorials on websites like TutorialsPoint or GeeksforGeeks
  • Follow the tutorials and practice the concepts
  • Apply what you've learned to your own COBOL programs
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Loop Exercise Set
Complete a series of exercises designed to reinforce loop concepts and improve understanding.
Show steps
  • Write loops to iterate through arrays
  • Create loops with different conditions and increment/decrement values
  • Debug and troubleshoot loops
Loop Discussion Forum
Engage in discussions with peers to clarify concepts, share knowledge, and learn from others' experiences with loops.
Show steps
  • Join or create a COBOL loop discussion forum
  • Ask questions and share your insights
  • Participate in discussions to enhance your understanding
Create a COBOL Program with Loops
Develop a practical COBOL program that incorporates loops to reinforce skills and apply knowledge.
Show steps
  • Design the program's logic and structure
  • Write code for the loop functionality
  • Test and debug the program
COBOL Loop Coding Challenge
Participate in a coding challenge or competition to test your loop skills and learn from others.
Show steps
  • Find a COBOL loop coding challenge or competition
  • Study the problem and design a solution
  • Implement the solution and submit your code
Loops in a Real-World Application
Engage in a project that simulates a real-world scenario where loops are essential for efficient data processing.
Show steps
  • Identify a problem or task that can benefit from loop implementation
  • Design a COBOL program incorporating loops to solve the problem
  • Implement the program and test its functionality

Career center

Learners who complete Code Loops in COBOL will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
COBOL Programmer
COBOL programmers build and maintain programs written in the COBOL programming language. These programs can process large volumes of data quickly and efficiently. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL would be particularly useful to you as a COBOL Programmer, as they would help you build a strong foundation in the skills necessary to succeed in this role.
See salaries and explore the career path for COBOL Programmer
Data Analyst
Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make informed decisions. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Data Analyst, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as data processing and analysis.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst
Software Developer
Software Developers design, develop, and maintain software applications. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Software Developer, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as programming and software development.
See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer
Systems Analyst
Systems Analysts design, develop, and implement computer systems. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Systems Analyst, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as systems analysis and design.
See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst
Database Administrator
Database Administrators design, develop, and maintain databases. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Database Administrator, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as database management and administration.
See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator
Computer Programmer
Computer Programmers write, test, and maintain computer programs. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Computer Programmer, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as programming and software development.
See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Programmer
Information Security Analyst
Information Security Analysts plan, implement, and maintain computer security systems. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as an Information Security Analyst, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as computer security and risk management.
See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst
Business Analyst
Business Analysts analyze business needs and develop solutions to improve business processes. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Business Analyst, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as data analysis and business process improvement.
See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst
Technical Writer
Technical Writers create technical documentation, such as user manuals, white papers, and training materials. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Technical Writer, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as writing and editing.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer
Project Manager
Project Managers plan, execute, and control projects. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Project Manager, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as project planning and management.
See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager
Quality Assurance Analyst
Quality Assurance Analysts test and evaluate software products to ensure they meet quality standards. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Quality Assurance Analyst, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as software testing and evaluation.
See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst
Network Administrator
Network Administrators design, implement, and maintain computer networks. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Network Administrator, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as network design and administration.
See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator
Web Developer
Web Developers design, develop, and maintain websites. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Web Developer, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as web design and development.
See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer
Data Scientist
Data Scientists collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make informed decisions. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Data Scientist, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as data analysis and machine learning.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist
Machine Learning Engineer
Machine Learning Engineers design and develop machine learning models. Courses like Code Loops in COBOL may be useful to you as a Machine Learning Engineer, as they would help you build a foundation in the technical skills necessary to succeed in this role, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.
See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Reading list

We've selected six 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 Code Loops in COBOL.
Cover image
Micro Focus Personal COBOL 2.0 for DOS
Save
This official guide from Micro Focus, the leading provider of COBOL solutions, offers a comprehensive reference for COBOL programming. While it may not specifically address loops, it's an invaluable resource for understanding COBOL's syntax and best practices.
Micro Focus Personal COBOL 2.0 for DOS
Paperback
Check
Micro Focus Personal COBOL 2.0 for DOS
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
ISV IBM zPDT Guide and Reference
Save
An official guide from IBM that provides authoritative information on COBOL programming, covering all aspects of the language.
ISV IBM zPDT Guide and Reference
Paperback
Check
ISV IBM zPDT Guide and Reference
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Discovering Computers
Save
Good choice for COBOL programmers who want to learn more about comprehensive COBOL. It covers a variety of comprehensive COBOL topics, including loops.
Discovering Computers
Paperback
Check
Discovering Computers
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of...
Save
Good choice for COBOL programmers who want to learn more about tutorial COBOL. It covers a variety of tutorial COBOL topics, including loops.
Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of...
Paperback
$$
Cover image
Beginning COBOL for Programmers
Save
Presents the latest developments and trends in COBOL programming, discussing modern techniques and applications.
Beginning COBOL for Programmers
Paperback
$$$
Beginning COBOL for Programmers
Kindle Edition
$$$
Cover image
zOS JCL (Job Control Language)
Save
Good choice for those who want to learn COBOL quickly and easily. It covers the basics of the language in a clear and concise manner, making it ideal for beginners.
zOS JCL (Job Control Language)
Kindle Edition
$$

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Course image
Effort
2 Hours
Level
Intermediate
Via
Coursera
Institution
Coursera Project Network
Instructor
Judy Richardson
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Develops a core skill set that is fundamental to COBOL programming
Emphasizes the ongoing use of COBOL in critical modern systems
Introduces a foundational concept (looping) that is essential for COBOL programmers
Taught by an instructor with undisclosed experience or expertise in COBOL programming
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