COBOL to Go Migration - A UK Enterprise Guide 2026
Go is a pragmatic COBOL migration target when simplicity, fast builds, and easy deployment matter more than a large enterprise framework ecosystem. It compiles to a single static binary with no runtime dependencies, it runs anywhere, and its built-in concurrency model is a natural fit for modernising COBOL batch processing into parallel workloads. This guide explains what a COBOL to Go migration…
Choosing Go for a COBOL migration makes sense when simplicity, fast builds, and easy deployment are more important than a large ecosystem. Go compiles to a single executable with no runtime dependencies and supports concurrency, making it ideal for modernising COBOL batch processing.
Key considerations for COBOL to Go migration in the UK include the need for precise decimal handling, as Go lacks native decimal support. Financial calculations should use a library like shopspring/decimal instead of the default float64 type to avoid rounding errors. The migration can be approached in three ways: automated conversion, parallel rewrite, or incremental strangler fig migration, each with varying risk and cost profiles.
The most common approach for UK enterprises is the incremental strangler fig migration, combined with automated conversion, which balances risk and speed.
Costs for a COBOL to Go migration in the UK depend on codebase size and complexity, with estimates ranging from £200,000 to £2,000,000+ for larger systems. The key is planning for decimal precision and data access layer design upfront.
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