Mainframe
COBOL to Java, C#
& Cloud
Many organizations using Micro Focus COBOL face high licensing costs, limited developer availability, and growing pressure to modernize. Migrating to Java - or optionally C# - offers greater flexibility, lower costs, and access to modern DevOps and cloud ecosystems.
While open-source alternatives like OpenCOBOL (now GnuCOBOL) may seem attractive, they rarely address the long-term needs of evolving enterprise COBOL systems. Several of our clients initially tried open-source paths but later discovered that these tools could not deliver the maintainability, scalability, or modernization features they required. Migrating to Java or C# remains the most reliable, future-proof strategy for large organizations seeking sustainable modernization.
Many Micro Focus COBOL systems - especially those adapted from IBM mainframe applications - follow COBOL 85 standards. These programs often use structured coding patterns that create both challenges and opportunities during translation. For such cases, the following resources may be more relevant:
Some Micro Focus applications also use proprietary client-server frameworks that introduce extra features such as advanced screen handling, operating system API wrapping, and Object-Oriented COBOL structures. The next section explores how these features can be refactored efficiently during migration.
Micro Focus COBOL adds a SCREEN SECTION for defining static user interfaces. These are often used in conversational programs designed for client-server environments. SoftwareMining converts these conversational applications into standard application-server architectures.
Many Micro Focus applications also use control characters for screen manipulation, such as clearing or blanking the display.
SoftwareMining replaces these with clear, maintainable methods - for example, translating a control character into a Java blankScreen() function.
Micro Focus COBOL includes many platform-specific API calls. After migration to Java or C#, especially within an application-server environment, most of these calls are no longer needed. Each API reference is analyzed and either replaced or safely removed during translation.
Some Micro Focus COBOL systems were originally migrated from mainframe environments. These require special handling similar to native CICS or DB2 applications. For detailed guidance, see CICS COBOL to Java Conversion and DB2 / SQL COBOL Migration. You can also explore the Comparison of COBOL Modernization Strategies for an overview of the 5 R’s of modernization.
