What is COBOL written in?
The COBOL compiler is written in Assembly (documented).
Relationship Graph
All directly connected languages. Click any node to navigate to its page.
Compiler Implementation
| Language | Confidence | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assembly | 90% | Early COBOL compilers written in assembly; GnuCOBOL later written in C | Source |
Influenced By
- FLOW-MATIC — FLOW-MATIC was the primary inspiration for COBOL's English-like syntax; Grace Hopper served on the CODASYL committee
- COMTRAN — IBM's COMTRAN contributed data description concepts to COBOL design
- Fortran — FORTRAN influenced COBOL's arithmetic and data handling capabilities
Languages COBOL Influenced
- PL/I — PL/I incorporated COBOL's data processing features
Frequently Asked Questions
What language is COBOL written in?
COBOL is primarily implemented in Assembly. See the implementation section above for details and source references.
What languages influenced COBOL?
COBOL was influenced by FLOW-MATIC, COMTRAN, Fortran among others. See the influence section above for the full list.
Which languages did COBOL influence?
COBOL influenced PL/I among others.