On This Day, April 8, 1959, one of the earliest modern programming languages, COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language), was officially introduced and defined. Its creation marked a significant milestone in computer science and software development.
COBOL was designed specifically for business and finance applications, bridging the gap between programmers and data processing needs of businesses and governments. Its English-like syntax made it more accessible compared to earlier languages.
The development of COBOL was primarily designed by a woman, Grace Hopper and spearheaded by a committee involving experts from the private and public sectors, leading to a portable, versatile language for data processing across different computer brands.
Over six decades later, COBOL remains in widespread usage, powering core transaction systems for major industries worldwide. Its creation on April 8, 1959 revolutionized programming by prioritizing language readability and portability, allowing more industries to leverage computing efficiently through a common tongue.
