job-control language

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job-control language (JCL; command language) A language used to write the sequence of commands that will control the running of a job. In a normal programming language the objects manipulated and the operations applicable to these objects correspond to variables within the original problem. In a JCL the objects manipulated are such things as complete programs, or the input and output streams for these programs. Most JCLs incorporate features to control the sequence in which actions will be performed, including some form of conditional statement.