CODASYL

CODASYL is an acronym for "Conference/Committee on Data Systems Languages". This was a consortium formed in 1959 to guide the development of a standard programming language that could be used on many computers. This effort led to the development of COBOL and other standards.

CODASYL's members were individuals from industry and government involved in data processing activity. Its larger goal was to promote more effective data systems analysis, design, and implementation. The organization published specifications for various languages over the years, handing these over to official standards bodies (ISO, ANSI, or their predecessors) for formal standardization.

History

CODASYL is remembered almost entirely for two activities: its work on the development of the COBOL language and its activities in standardizing database interfaces. It also worked on a wide range of other topics, including end-user form interfaces and operating system control languages, but these projects had little lasting impact.