Hiring guide for ISCOBOL Evolve Engineers

ISCOBOL Evolve Developer Hiring Guide

ISCOBOL Evolve is a robust and comprehensive programming language, developed by the leading software solutions company, Veryant. Introduced in the early 21st century to modernize legacy COBOL applications, it has since become a widely recognized language within the programming community. This high-level language offers programmers a plethora of features designed to streamline and enhance software development processes. ISCOBOL Evolve provides a platform-independent solution, enabling the execution of programs across various operating systems without requiring recompilation. Additionally, it supports Unicode standard for internationalization and localization of applications. The language is fully compliant with ANSI-85 COBOL standards and part of ANSI-2002 standards, ensuring compatibility with existing COBOL sources. It also provides an interface to Java allowing developers to integrate modern technologies into their legacy systems. One key characteristic that sets ISCOBOL Evolve apart from other languages is its ability to efficiently manage memory resources through automatic garbage collection which eliminates common programming errors associated with manual memory management. With its object-oriented capabilities, GUI development tools and seamless interoperability with Java, ISCOBOL Evolve effectively bridges the gap between traditional COBOL programs and modern computing requirements. Its rich set of features makes it an ideal choice for businesses looking to preserve their investments in COBOL while adapting to contemporary technological demands. In conclusion, ISCOBOL Evolve stands as a testament to Veryant's commitment towards providing innovative solutions that not only respect but also rejuvenate longstanding technologies like COBOL. It continues its upward trajectory in popularity amongst programmers who value its versatility, efficiency and powerful capabilities.

Ask the right questions secure the right ISCOBOL Evolve talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General ISCOBOL Evolve app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in ISCOBOL Evolve application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

What are the primary features of ISCOBOL Evolve?
ISCOBOL Evolve has several primary features which include: Unicode support, GUI and Web interfaces, SQL database access, Web services, and portability across platforms.
How would you create a new project in ISCOBOL?
To create a new project in ISCOBOL, you need to select 'New' from the 'File' menu, then choose 'Project'. After that, you need to fill out the project details and select the project location.
Describe the difference between ISCOBOL and traditional COBOL.
Traditional COBOL is a compiled language primarily used for business and finance. ISCOBOL is an implementation of the COBOL language that also provides Java interoperability, enabling COBOL programs to run on any device that supports a Java Virtual Machine.
What are the steps to compile an ISCOBOL program?
To compile an ISCOBOL program, you need to first write the program, save it with a .cbl extension, and then use the iscc command to compile the program. The output will be a .class file which can be run using the isrun command.
How would you debug a program in ISCOBOL?
To debug a program in ISCOBOL, you can use the ISCOBOL Debugger. This provides step-by-step execution, breakpoints, and variable watch features to help identify and fix issues in the code.
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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a deep understanding of ISCOBOL Evolve?
Has the candidate demonstrated strong problem-solving skills?
Is the candidate able to communicate their thought process effectively?
Has the candidate shown familiarity with other relevant technologies and programming languages?

Next 20 minutes

Specific ISCOBOL Evolve development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

What are the benefits of using ISCOBOL for modern application development?
ISCOBOL offers several benefits for modern application development, including compatibility with existing COBOL code, the ability to run on a wide range of platforms thanks to its Java interoperability, and support for modern development features like SQL databases and Web services.
Describe the difference between ISCOBOL's thin client and thick client models.
In the thin client model, the client machine runs only the GUI part of the application while all the business logic runs on the server. In the thick client model, all parts of the application run on the client machine.
What is the purpose of the ISCOBOL Repository?
The ISCOBOL Repository is a tool for managing the data definitions used in your COBOL programs. It allows you to create, modify, and delete data definitions, as well as import and export definitions to and from other programs.
How would you handle errors in ISCOBOL?
Errors in ISCOBOL can be handled using the ON EXCEPTION phrase in the procedure division. This allows the program to catch and handle exceptions, preventing them from causing the program to terminate unexpectedly.
What are the steps to deploy an ISCOBOL application?
To deploy an ISCOBOL application, you need to first compile the program into a .class file. Then, you can package the .class file and any necessary resources into a .jar file using the isjar command. This .jar file can then be deployed to any device that supports a Java Virtual Machine.
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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the ISCOBOL Evolve engineer at this point.

At this point, a skilled ISCOBOL Evolve engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in ISCOBOL Evolve programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with ISCOBOL Evolve.

What does the following ISCOBOL Evolve code do?
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. Hello.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
DISPLAY 'Hello, World!'.
STOP RUN.
The code is a simple 'Hello, World!' program in ISCOBOL Evolve. It displays the string 'Hello, World!' to the standard output.
What will be the output of the following ISCOBOL Evolve code?
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. Example.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 num PIC 9 VALUE 5.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
ADD 5 TO num.
DISPLAY num.
STOP RUN.
The code will output '10'. It first declares a variable 'num' and initializes it with the value '5'. Then it adds '5' to 'num' and displays the result.
What does the following ISCOBOL Evolve code do?
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. ArrExample.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 arr PIC 9(5) OCCURS 5 TIMES.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
PERFORM VARYING arr FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL arr > 5
  DISPLAY arr
END-PERFORM.
STOP RUN.
The code declares an array 'arr' of size 5. It then performs a loop that iterates over each element of the array, displaying each element. The loop continues until the value of 'arr' is greater than 5.
What will be the output of the following ISCOBOL Evolve code?
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. ThreadingExample.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
CALL 'CBL_THREAD_CREATE' USING BY VALUE 'Thread1'
CALL 'CBL_THREAD_CREATE' USING BY VALUE 'Thread2'
CALL 'CBL_THREAD_JOIN' USING BY VALUE 'Thread1'
CALL 'CBL_THREAD_JOIN' USING BY VALUE 'Thread2'
STOP RUN.
The code creates two threads named 'Thread1' and 'Thread2'. Then it waits for both threads to complete execution. The output of this code will depend on what the threads 'Thread1' and 'Thread2' are programmed to do.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for ISCOBOL Evolve Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle ISCOBOL Evolve application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

How would you integrate an ISCOBOL application with a SQL database?
To integrate an ISCOBOL application with a SQL database, you can use the EXEC SQL syntax in your COBOL program. This allows you to write SQL queries directly in your COBOL code and execute them against the database.
What is the purpose of the ISCOBOL Bridge?
The ISCOBOL Bridge is a tool that allows COBOL programs to call Java methods and vice versa. This allows COBOL programs to take advantage of Java's extensive library of classes and methods.
How would you implement web services in an ISCOBOL application?
To implement web services in an ISCOBOL application, you can use the ISCOBOL Web Services Toolkit. This allows your COBOL programs to both provide and consume web services.

ISCOBOL Evolve application related

Product Perfect's ISCOBOL Evolve development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your ISCOBOL Evolve engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in ISCOBOL Evolve projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.

ISCOBOL Evolve Consultive assessments

Custom ISCOBOL Evolve development projects

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