The language used in Visual Basic is Visual Basic itself, which is a high-level, multi-paradigm programming language developed by Microsoft. However, it is essential to distinguish between the various iterations of Visual Basic, as the language has evolved significantly over its history. The two primary variants are Classic Visual Basic (VB6) and Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), which target different platforms and have notable differences in features and capabilities.
The lineage of Visual Basic
Visual Basic's history can be traced back to the original BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) language developed in the 1960s. Microsoft built upon this foundation to create a user-friendly, visually-oriented development tool for Windows, leading to a family of related languages.
Classic Visual Basic (VB6)
- Era: Released in 1998, with development effectively ending soon after. It is now a legacy technology, though still used in some enterprise applications.
- Purpose: Designed for rapid application development (RAD) on the Windows platform.
- Core features:
- Visual Development: Allowed developers to drag and drop controls like buttons and text boxes onto a form, with code written in response to events (e.g., a button click).
- Simplicity: Known for its English-like syntax and forgiving nature, making it accessible to beginners.
- Platform: Relied on COM (Component Object Model) technology and produced native Windows executable files.
- Object Model: Featured an "object-based" model rather than a fully object-oriented one, with limitations compared to modern languages.
- Legacy status: While mainstream support ended in 2005, and extended support in 2008, Microsoft has maintained compatibility for VB6 applications on newer Windows versions.
Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET)
- Era: Introduced in 2002 as the successor to VB6. The ".NET" was dropped from the name in 2005, but the language remained fundamentally tied to the .NET ecosystem.
- Purpose: A full-fledged, object-oriented programming language designed for the Microsoft .NET Framework. It creates type-safe apps and integrates with the entire .NET library.
- Core features:
- Object-Oriented: Fully supports modern object-oriented principles, including inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation.
- Managed Environment: Code is compiled into an intermediate language (CIL) and run on the Common Language Runtime (CLR), which handles memory management and other services.
- Syntax: While its syntax retains much of the classic Visual Basic style, it incorporates new features to align with the .NET platform.
- Compatibility with C#: VB.NET and C# are part of the same .NET ecosystem and share the same core runtime libraries, meaning code can be easily translated between the two.
- Flexibility: Used for developing a wide range of applications, including Windows desktop apps (with Windows Forms and WPF), web apps (with ASP.NET), and more.
Related Visual Basic languages
The Visual Basic family also includes other notable variations with specific purposes.
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
- Purpose: VBA is a scripting language embedded within Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Access, etc.) and other third-party software. It is used to automate repetitive tasks and extend the functionality of these host applications through the use of macros.
- Relation to Visual Basic: It shares a similar syntax with Classic Visual Basic (VB6) and uses its runtime library. However, it cannot create standalone executable files.
- Modern status: VBA continues to be developed and supported within Office, with updates like VBA 7.1 adding 64-bit support.
VBScript
- Purpose: An active scripting language based on Classic Visual Basic. It was used in Active Server Pages (ASP) for web development and in Windows scripting for administrative tasks.
- Relation to Visual Basic: While it shares syntax with classic Visual Basic, it is an interpreted language and functions as a separate entity.
- Modern status: Though still functional, it is considered a legacy technology, largely superseded by modern web technologies like ASP.NET and PowerShell.
The ongoing evolution and future
In recent years, Microsoft has focused its development efforts on C# as the primary language for the modern .NET ecosystem. This has led to a shift in Visual Basic's development strategy, with Microsoft announcing that Visual Basic is a stable language that will be maintained, but will no longer co-evolve with C#. While it remains a fully supported .NET language, it is no longer the primary focus for new features and innovation within the platform.
Despite this, Visual Basic still has a role in the developer landscape.
- Maintainers of legacy code: Developers working with existing VB6 or older VB.NET applications continue to rely on the language.
- Domain-specific scripting: VBA remains heavily used for macro development in Microsoft Office, particularly in corporate environments.
- Educational purposes: The simplicity and readability of Visual Basic's syntax still make it a good starting point for learning programming fundamentals.