{
  "id": 17134109,
  "title": "The Zombies of Tech: What Actually Powers the World",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/the-zombies-of-tech-what-actually-powers-the-world",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-29T20:55:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "HackerNoon",
    "slug": "hackernoon",
    "url": "https://hackernoon.com/the-zombies-of-tech-what-actually-powers-the-world?source=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Week 9 of the IBM Full-Stack JavaScript Developer track, one developer paused from tutorials to ponder the underlying infrastructure of the internet. The answer proved to be far from trending frameworks; rather, it was older and more resilient systems. COBOL, a programming language first introduced in 1959, still underpins a staggering 95% of ATM transactions and 80% of in-person banking activities. Approximately 220 billion lines of COBOL code power around $3 trillion worth of commerce daily. A prime example is Bank of New York Mellon, which maintains 112,500 COBOL programs, each consisting of roughly 343 million lines of code. However, a critical challenge arises from a talent shortage; universities largely ceased teaching COBOL decades ago, prompting banks to explore AI solutions to help maintain and modernize this legacy codebase.\n\nPHP and WordPress emerge as the web's workhorses, with PHP powering nearly 70% of websites with known server-side languages. WordPress, built on PHP, operates on about 42% of all websites globally. jQuery, once considered outdated, remains ubiquitous, appearing on approximately 67% of all websites. Even older versions of jQuery, which date back to the 2000s, are still found on around 13% of sites. Linux, the invisible backbone of the internet, powers about 62% of websites with identifiable operating systems, with the broader Unix family comprising around 92% of these platforms. Notably, every system listed among the TOP500 supercomputers runs Linux, underscoring its indispensable role in modern computing.\n\nThe longevity of these technologies stems from their reliability and the significant costs and risks associated with rewriting functioning systems. React Native, for instance, may not be considered legacy technology but serves as a prime example of why enduring tools persist. Shopify recently transitioned its flagship app to React Native, now sharing about 86% of its codebase across iOS and Android platforms, a stark contrast to its initial 5% code sharing. This efficiency underscores why certain tools endure: their reliability and the prohibitive expense of replacing something that functions effectively.\n\nFor developers, the takeaway is clear: while staying abreast of new tools and technologies is crucial, so too is recognizing and respecting the older systems that maintain the essential backbone of our digital infrastructure. Reflecting on this, the developer wonders about the oldest piece of technology they've encountered still operating in production.",
  "summary": "The internet is largely powered by older technologies, read about it with examples like cobol, jquery, react native and more",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}