What are the advantages and disadvantages of COBOL?

Advantages ::

1. It's easy to read. Its high-level English-like syntax can resemble a well-structured novel with appendices, cross-reference tables, chapters, footnotes and paragraphs.
2. It is self-documenting and appeals to proponents of readability.
3. It can handle huge processing volumes with ease.
4. It's still widely used for business applications, which is an area it excels at. COBOL is relatively easy to develop, use, and maintain.

Disadvantages ::

1. It is sometime necessary for a COBOLprogrammer to have a knowledge of machine language code, for if diagonostics do not produce a clue as necessary to look at a "CORE DUMP'. Thus the COBOL programmer may be required to have a proficiency in two programming languages.
2. The time required to compile a COBOL program might be greater than with a machine oriented programming language.

        Advantages:

1. It is robust, and there are many tools to aid with testing, debugging, and analysis.
2. It can handle huge processing volumes with ease.
3. It is very portable across platforms, without the need for re-compilation.                                                                                                                                                           Disadvantages:
4. It is sometime necessary for a COBOLprogrammer to have a knowledge of machine language code, for if diagonostics do not produce a clue as necessary to look at a "CORE DUMP'. Thus the COBOL programmer may be required to have a proficiency in two programming languages.
5. The time required to compile a COBOL program might be greater than with a machine oriented programming language.

Writing COBOL program like telling English story, its safe, and easy to use.

Advantages:

·         COBOL can process huge volumes of data with ease.

·         It is having English-like syntax and it is easy to understand.

Disadvantages:

·         It is an old programming language.

·         The number of programmers are less compared to other programming languages.

·         To bring a logic in program, more lines of coding needed.

it is english like language so easy to understand.

it performs airthematic operations accurate.

code length is very high 

COBOL is highly structured top down method language. Advantages : Simple english, 'high-level' language. Better readability than any other language. one of the earliest programming language used for Business. Runs on ' Big Iron' (mainframe machine)

Disadvantages : Difficult to learn. Outdated. COBOL experienced resources are difficult to get. Since it is more english-like, need more lines of code compare to mid-level languages like C, Assembly etc.

Cobol is very old language used mainly in Batch and Oline systems. It is very efficient in large data handling and has structured way of writing programs. It cannot be used for creating softwares, instead used for application level programming to process the day to day task of organisation.

Advantages:

1)Structured programming language

2)platform independent

3)Free source

Disadvantages:

1)Very lenghty coding

2)Can't be used for scientific calculations

COBOL programs are relatively easy to develop, use and maintain. COBOL is a high-level, English-like language which, when used correctly, can resemble a well-structured novel with appendices, cross-reference tables, chapters, footnotes and paragraphs. 

• COBOL is capable of handling a wide range of processing volumes. 
• COBOL is widely used. COBOL is the number two language for developing client-server applications.