GNU Cobol

GNU Cobol (formerly OpenCOBOL) is an open source, totally free and multiplatform command-line software implemented in C as a COBOL compiler for many POSIX operating systems.

The application provides users with a full implementation of the COBOL 2002 and COBOL 85 standards with almost seamless C integration, as well as several extensions of existing COBOL compilers.

Features at a glance

Key features include support for over 9,700 NIST COBOL 85 test suites, a branched C++ version, code integration with various well-known programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, Lua, Guile, Rexx and Ada, as well as support for GNU Autotools and LLVM clang.

In addition, the project offers direct access to many, if not all, C libraries, it’s CGI capable, features a report writer module, support for FUNCTION-ID, REPORT SECTION and SCREEN SECTION, support for the PostgreSQL, ODBC, Firebird and DB2 databases through EXEC SQL preprocessors, and support for GTK+ screens.

Its graphical user interface is simple and intuitive. It looks like a text-editor, but instead you will be able to compile programs written in the COBOL programming language with minimum effort and without too much hassle.

Supported operating systems

With this software you will be able to build COBOL programs on many platforms, including Unix/Linux, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X. It’s a desktop-ready application that comes with graphical user interfaces written in GTK and Tk GUI toolkits, as well as command-line and web-based interfaces.