I've often postulated that few computer languages are changing as fast as RPG. Although it originated more than 40 years ago, RPG has evolved from a punch card heritage to a fully featured language that drives many modern business applications, in only a little more than a decade.

But has your programming style kept pace with RPG's evolution? It was only a few short years ago when I first wrote an RPG IV style guide and, despite my attempts to update it since then, my old, comfortable approaches to style, standards, and best practices get more outdated with every new release. In this article, I revisit and revise my suggestions for writing stylish RPG IV code.

"It's possible to become so comfortable with one's style and structure that one ceases to grow." — Lynn Abbey, American author