COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-PROGRAM Clause - Quick Reference

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Overview

The END-PROGRAM clause is used to terminate a program definition in COBOL. This clause marks the end of a program scope and completes the program structure, working in conjunction with the PROGRAM-ID clause to define complete program definitions.

Purpose and Usage

Program termination - Mark the end of a program definition
Scope management - Close program scope properly
Structure completion - Complete program structure
Compilation aid - Help compiler understand program boundaries
Code organization - Organize multiple programs in single file

Program Structure Concept

Program Definition: [PROGRAM-ID] → [Program Content] → [END-PROGRAM]

Program Scope: [Start of Program] → [Divisions/Sections] → [End of Program]

Structure: [PROGRAM-ID program-name] → [Program Body] → [END-PROGRAM]

END-PROGRAM properly terminates the program definition

END-PROGRAM provides proper program termination and scope management.

Syntax

The END-PROGRAM clause follows specific syntax patterns and is used to terminate program definitions in COBOL.

Basic Syntax

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* Basic END-PROGRAM clause syntax
PROGRAM-ID program-name.
    * Program content goes here
    * Divisions, sections, etc.
END PROGRAM.
 
* Examples
PROGRAM-ID CustomerProgram.
    * Customer program logic here
END PROGRAM.
 
PROGRAM-ID BankProgram.
    * Bank program logic here
END PROGRAM.
 
* Complete example
PROGRAM-ID EmployeeProgram.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    SOURCE-COMPUTER. IBM-PC.
    OBJECT-COMPUTER. IBM-PC.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 EMPLOYEE-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 EMPLOYEE-ID PIC 9(5).
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        DISPLAY "Employee Program Started"
        MOVE "John Doe" TO EMPLOYEE-NAME
        MOVE 12345 TO EMPLOYEE-ID
        DISPLAY "Employee: " EMPLOYEE-NAME
        DISPLAY "ID: " EMPLOYEE-ID
        STOP RUN.
END PROGRAM.

END-PROGRAM terminates a program definition that was started with PROGRAM-ID.

Program Structure Requirements

Component	Required	Purpose
PROGRAM-ID	Yes	Start program definition
Program content	Optional	Divisions, sections, logic
END-PROGRAM	Yes	Terminate program definition
PROCEDURE DIVISION	Optional	Program logic implementation

Multiple Programs Example

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* Multiple programs in a single file
PROGRAM-ID CustomerProgram.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 CUSTOMER-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUSTOMER-ID PIC 9(5).
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        DISPLAY "Customer Program"
        MOVE "John Doe" TO CUSTOMER-NAME
        MOVE 12345 TO CUSTOMER-ID
        DISPLAY "Customer: " CUSTOMER-NAME
        STOP RUN.
END PROGRAM.
 
PROGRAM-ID OrderProgram.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 ORDER-NUMBER PIC 9(10).
    01 ORDER-AMOUNT PIC 9(8)V99.
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        DISPLAY "Order Program"
        MOVE 1000000001 TO ORDER-NUMBER
        MOVE 150.75 TO ORDER-AMOUNT
        DISPLAY "Order: " ORDER-NUMBER
        DISPLAY "Amount: " ORDER-AMOUNT
        STOP RUN.
END PROGRAM.
 
PROGRAM-ID ReportProgram.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 REPORT-TITLE PIC X(50).
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        DISPLAY "Report Program"
        MOVE "Monthly Sales Report" TO REPORT-TITLE
        DISPLAY "Title: " REPORT-TITLE
        STOP RUN.
END PROGRAM.

Each program must be properly terminated with its own END-PROGRAM clause.

Common Use Cases

END-PROGRAM is commonly used in specific scenarios where program structure and termination is needed.

Single Program Files

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* Single program in a file
PROGRAM-ID MainProgram.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    SOURCE-COMPUTER. IBM-PC.
    OBJECT-COMPUTER. IBM-PC.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 PROGRAM-TITLE PIC X(50) VALUE "Main Application Program".
    01 VERSION-NUMBER PIC X(10) VALUE "1.0".
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        DISPLAY "Program: " PROGRAM-TITLE
        DISPLAY "Version: " VERSION-NUMBER
        PERFORM PROCESS-DATA
        PERFORM GENERATE-REPORT
        STOP RUN.
    
    PROCESS-DATA.
        DISPLAY "Processing data..."
        * Data processing logic here
    
    GENERATE-REPORT.
        DISPLAY "Generating report..."
        * Report generation logic here
END PROGRAM.

Define single programs with proper program termination.

Multi-Program Files

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* Multiple programs in a single file
PROGRAM-ID UtilityProgram.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 UTILITY-NAME PIC X(30) VALUE "Data Utility".
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        DISPLAY "Utility: " UTILITY-NAME
        PERFORM CLEAN-DATA
        STOP RUN.
    
    CLEAN-DATA.
        DISPLAY "Cleaning data..."
        * Data cleaning logic here
END PROGRAM.
 
PROGRAM-ID ReportGenerator.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 REPORT-TYPE PIC X(20).
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        MOVE "Sales Report" TO REPORT-TYPE
        DISPLAY "Generating: " REPORT-TYPE
        PERFORM CREATE-REPORT
        STOP RUN.
    
    CREATE-REPORT.
        DISPLAY "Creating report..."
        * Report creation logic here
END PROGRAM.

Create multiple programs in a single file with proper termination.

Object-Oriented Programs

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* Object-oriented program with classes
CLASS-ID CustomerClass.
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 CUSTOMER-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUSTOMER-ID PIC 9(5).
    
    METHOD-ID CONSTRUCTOR.
    DATA DIVISION.
    LINKAGE SECTION.
    01 CUST-NAME PIC X(50).
    01 CUST-ID PIC 9(5).
    PROCEDURE DIVISION USING CUST-NAME CUST-ID.
        MOVE CUST-NAME TO CUSTOMER-NAME
        MOVE CUST-ID TO CUSTOMER-ID
    END METHOD.
END-CLASS.
 
PROGRAM-ID OOProgram.
    ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
    CONFIGURATION SECTION.
    
    DATA DIVISION.
    WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
    01 CUSTOMER-OBJECT OBJECT REFERENCE CustomerClass.
    
    PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    MAIN-LOGIC.
        DISPLAY "Object-Oriented Program"
        INVOKE CustomerClass "new" USING "John Doe" 12345
            RETURNING CUSTOMER-OBJECT
        DISPLAY "Customer object created"
        STOP RUN.
END PROGRAM.

Define object-oriented programs with proper program termination.

Best Practices and Tips

Following these best practices ensures effective use of the END-PROGRAM clause for proper program structure and termination.

END-PROGRAM Design Principles

Always include END-PROGRAM - Never forget to terminate program definitions
Match PROGRAM-ID and END-PROGRAM - Ensure proper program scope closure
Use meaningful program names - Choose descriptive program names
Organize program content - Structure program divisions and sections logically
Document program purpose - Clearly document what each program does
Test program structure - Verify that programs compile and work correctly

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall	Problem	Solution
Missing END-PROGRAM	Compilation errors, undefined program scope	Always include END-PROGRAM after program definition
Mismatched PROGRAM-ID/END-PROGRAM	Program structure errors	Ensure each PROGRAM-ID has corresponding END-PROGRAM
Poor program organization	Difficult to maintain and understand	Organize program content logically
Unclear program names	Confusing code structure	Use descriptive and meaningful program names
Not documenting programs	Difficult to understand program purpose	Document program purpose and functionality

Performance Considerations

Program compilation - END-PROGRAM helps compiler understand program boundaries
Memory management - Proper program termination aids memory management
Code organization - END-PROGRAM improves code organization and readability
Multi-program files - END-PROGRAM enables multiple programs in single file
Scope management - Proper program scope termination prevents conflicts
Maintenance - Clear program boundaries improve maintainability

When to Use END-PROGRAM

Use Case	END-PROGRAM Suitability	Reasoning
All COBOL programs	Essential	Required for proper program structure
Multi-program files	Excellent	Perfect for organizing multiple programs
Code organization	Good	Helps organize code into logical units
Object-oriented COBOL	Good	Works well with OOP features
Simple scripts	Poor	Unnecessary complexity for simple scripts

END-PROGRAM Clause Quick Reference

Usage	Syntax	Example
Basic program termination	END PROGRAM.	END PROGRAM.
Complete program structure	PROGRAM-ID name. ... END PROGRAM.	PROGRAM-ID MyProgram. ... END PROGRAM.
Multiple programs	Multiple PROGRAM-ID/END PROGRAM pairs	PROGRAM-ID Program1. ... END PROGRAM. PROGRAM-ID Program2. ... END PROGRAM.
Program with divisions	PROGRAM-ID name. ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. ... END PROGRAM.	PROGRAM-ID MyProgram. ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. ... END PROGRAM.
Program with procedures	PROGRAM-ID name. ... PROCEDURE DIVISION. ... END PROGRAM.	PROGRAM-ID MyProgram. ... PROCEDURE DIVISION. ... END PROGRAM.

Test Your Knowledge

1. What is the primary purpose of the END-PROGRAM clause in COBOL?

To define data types
To terminate a program definition in COBOL
To control file operations
To perform calculations

2. What must precede the END-PROGRAM clause?

Any COBOL statement
A PROGRAM-ID clause
A PROCEDURE DIVISION
A DATA DIVISION

3. What is the relationship between PROGRAM-ID and END-PROGRAM?

They are independent
PROGRAM-ID starts a program, END-PROGRAM ends it
They serve the same purpose
They are optional

4. When is END-PROGRAM most useful?

In all COBOL programs
In object-oriented COBOL programs only
Only during compilation
Only during program termination

5. How does END-PROGRAM relate to program structure?

They are completely independent
END-PROGRAM is essential for proper program structure
END-PROGRAM overrides program features
They serve the same purpose

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-PROGRAM Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Program Structure Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Program Structure Requirements

Multiple Programs Example

Common Use Cases

Single Program Files

Multi-Program Files

Object-Oriented Programs

Best Practices and Tips

END-PROGRAM Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use END-PROGRAM

END-PROGRAM Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

PROGRAM-ID Clause

END-CLASS Clause

END-OBJECT Clause

Program Structure

Object-Oriented COBOL

Related Pages

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL END-PROGRAM Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Program Structure Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Program Structure Requirements

Multiple Programs Example

Common Use Cases

Single Program Files

Multi-Program Files

Object-Oriented Programs

Best Practices and Tips

END-PROGRAM Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use END-PROGRAM

END-PROGRAM Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between END-PROGRAM and END-CLASS?

Can END-PROGRAM be used in all COBOL programs?

What happens if you forget to include END-PROGRAM?

Can you have multiple programs in a single COBOL file?

What comes after END-PROGRAM in a COBOL file?

Related Concepts

PROGRAM-ID Clause

END-CLASS Clause

END-OBJECT Clause

Program Structure

Object-Oriented COBOL

Related Pages