VSCode IBM i Extension: COBOL Extension

COBOL Extension is a Hoot

The COBOL Extension is included in the recommended Visual Studio Code for IBM i installer package - IBM i Development Pack

What is it?

The bitlang.cobol extension is a powerhouse for COBOL developers working in Visual Studio Code especially those juggling multiple dialects across IBM i, Micro Focus, ACUCOBOL, and COBOL-IT.

VSCode IBM i Extension: COBOL Extension 1

This extension brings modern IDE features to COBOL development:

  • Syntax Highlighting for Visual COBOL, ACUCOBOL-GT, COBOL-IT, RMCOBOL, and ILECOBOL
  • IntelliSense for keywords in multiple cases (lower, upper, camel)
  • Snippets for common COBOL routines and intrinsic functions
  • Outline View & Breadcrumbs for navigating divisions, sections, and copybooks
  • Peek & Go to Definition for copybooks and symbols
  • Linter for unused sections and enforcing house coding standards

This extension lets you: Remove column numbers, comments, and program ID areas. Re-sequence lines, align storage items, and convert text to hex literals. Drag-and-drop copybook insertion. It also supports fixed-format margins and xedit-style keybindings.

It’s like giving COBOL a fresh coat of IDE polish without losing the quirks that make it classic.

Done?
 Mark lesson complete
Previous Lesson
Next Lesson
{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
>