Visual Basic (.NET)

Visual Basic (VB), originally called Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), is a <a href="/facts/Multi-paradigm_programming_language/7LwgRpB3">multi-paradigm</a>, <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented</a> <a href="/facts/Programming_language/cWTYbgWa">programming language</a> developed by <a href="/facts/Microsoft/nGIDDXdx">Microsoft</a> and implemented on <a href="/facts/.NET/PDMQdfFu">.NET</a>, <a href="/facts/Mono_(software)/PlyeJxRS">Mono</a>, and the <a href="/facts/.NET_Framework/J6QDAUhP">.NET Framework</a>. Microsoft launched VB.NET in 2002 as the successor to its <a href="/facts/Visual_Basic_(classic)/7QMXM6fP">original Visual Basic</a> language, the last version of which was Visual Basic 6.0. Although the ".NET" portion of the name was dropped in 2005, this article uses "Visual Basic [.NET]" to refer to all Visual Basic languages released since 2002, in order to distinguish between them and the <a href="/facts/Visual_Basic_(classic)/7QMXM6fP">classic Visual Basic</a>. Along with <a href="/facts/C_Sharp_(programming_language)/UC2gxeyb">C#</a> and <a href="/facts/F_Sharp_(programming_language)/jdXHnYz5">F#</a>, it is one of the three main languages targeting the .NET ecosystem. Microsoft updated its VB language strategy on 6 February 2023, stating that VB is a stable language now and Microsoft will keep maintaining it.
Microsoft's <a href="/facts/Integrated_development_environment/jbEINSQf">integrated development environment</a> (IDE) for developing in Visual Basic is <a href="/facts/Visual_Studio/omNe6Lej">Visual Studio</a>. Most Visual Studio editions are <a href="/facts/Commercial_software/WLgyRFMh">commercial</a>; the only exceptions are <a href="/facts/Visual_Studio_Express/PPcsYlwS">Visual Studio Express</a> and <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Visual_Studio/omNe6Lej">Visual Studio Community</a>, which are <a href="/facts/Freeware/c8oGA9ju">freeware</a>. In addition, the <a href="/facts/.NET_Framework_SDK/8otR4u2w">.NET Framework SDK</a> includes a freeware <a href="/facts/Command-line/R9JpGmXQ">command-line</a> <a href="/facts/Compiler/WNfCDFJe">compiler</a> called vbc.exe. <a href="/facts/Mono_(software)/PlyeJxRS">Mono</a> also includes a command-line VB.NET compiler.
Visual Basic is often used in conjunction with the <a href="/facts/Windows_Forms/H8VpGJxX">Windows Forms</a> <a href="/facts/Graphical_user_interface/wBlQFWDP">GUI</a> <a href="/facts/Library_(computing)/xRzL3P7q">library</a> to make <a href="/facts/Application_software/YQuj7Kog">desktop apps</a> for <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Windows</a>. Programming for Windows Forms with Visual Basic involves dragging and dropping controls on a form using a <a href="/facts/Graphical_user_interface_builder/nEGfulUQ">GUI designer</a> and writing corresponding code for each control.

Visual Basic (.NET) open-in-new

Visual Basic (.NET)