EBCDIC
EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code) is an 8-bit character encoding standard developed by IBM in the 1960s, primarily used on mainframe and midrange computer systems. It encodes alphanumeric characters, punctuation, and control codes, with variations for different languages and regions. Unlike ASCII, EBCDIC is not a continuous encoding and has gaps between character sets, making it less common in modern computing but still relevant in legacy systems.
Developers should learn EBCDIC when working with or maintaining legacy IBM mainframe systems, such as those in banking, insurance, or government sectors, where data migration or integration is required. It is essential for understanding character encoding issues in data conversion projects, debugging file formats, or ensuring compatibility when interfacing with older applications that rely on EBCDIC-based data storage and communication protocols.