Compilation differences

To demonstrate the amount of code generated by the different compilers compared to Assembler, four examples of programs which all mimic IBM's IEFBR14 are provided.

The objective of a High Level Language is to remove the need for the programmer to understand various environmental aspects such as;

Addressability
The role of Registers
Decision codes
Numeric data conversion.

Some samples of programs performing the same function.

Native Assembler

This example illustrates the least amount of code required to force COND CODE 0000

Language Environment Assembler

With the aim being to compare the size of functionally equivalent programs in different languages, the example above is unfair, so this is an LE compliant Assembler version.

COBOL

The COBOL version looks like this.

PLI

The PLI version looks like this.