# Visual Basic

> programming language for .NET

**Wikidata**: [Q50077](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q50077)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Basic_(.NET))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/visual-basic-q50077

## Summary
Visual Basic is a legacy programming language created by Microsoft in 1991 that was later succeeded by Visual Basic .NET, a modern object-oriented language for the .NET framework. It enables developers to build Windows applications using a combination of visual design tools and BASIC-based syntax.

## Key Facts
- Created by Microsoft in 1991 as a legacy programming language
- Visual Basic .NET was released in 2001 as the successor to Visual Basic
- Runs on Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux platforms
- Uses Apache Software License 2.0
- Latest stable version is 16.9 (released March 2, 2024)
- Competes with Java and Python as general-purpose programming languages
- Supports multiple programming paradigms including object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming
- Has file extension .vb
- Developed by Microsoft with headquarters in Redmond, Washington
- Has 55 sitelinks across Wikipedia language editions

## FAQs
### Q: What is Visual Basic used for?
A: Visual Basic is used for developing Windows applications, desktop software, and enterprise applications using the .NET framework. It combines visual design tools with BASIC-based syntax to create user interfaces and business logic.

### Q: Is Visual Basic still supported by Microsoft?
A: Yes, Visual Basic .NET is actively supported by Microsoft with regular updates and a current stable version (16.9) released in March 2024. The legacy Visual Basic is no longer actively developed.

### Q: How does Visual Basic compare to other programming languages?
A: Visual Basic .NET is a multi-paradigm language that competes with Java and Python as a general-purpose language. It's particularly strong for Windows application development and integrates well with the Microsoft ecosystem.

## Why It Matters
Visual Basic matters because it democratized Windows application development by providing an accessible, visual approach to programming that lowered the barrier to entry for many developers. Its evolution into Visual Basic .NET ensured its continued relevance in the modern .NET ecosystem, where it remains a viable option for building enterprise applications, web services, and desktop software. The language's combination of visual design tools and familiar BASIC syntax made it particularly popular among business applications and internal tools development, contributing significantly to the growth of Windows-based software solutions throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

## Notable For
- Being one of the first successful visual programming languages with drag-and-drop interface design
- Creating a massive developer community through its accessibility and integration with Microsoft Office
- Successfully transitioning from legacy Visual Basic to modern Visual Basic .NET in 2001
- Maintaining strong backward compatibility while evolving to support modern .NET features
- Providing a bridge between rapid application development and enterprise-level software engineering

## Body
### History and Evolution
Visual Basic was created by Microsoft in 1991 as a rapid application development tool for Windows. The language evolved significantly over the years, with Visual Basic .NET released in 2001 as a complete rewrite that modernized the language while maintaining compatibility with its predecessor. This transition marked a shift from a purely event-driven language to a full object-oriented programming language within the .NET framework.

### Technical Architecture
Visual Basic .NET is a multi-paradigm language that supports object-oriented, imperative, functional, and event-driven programming. It runs on the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR) and can target multiple platforms including Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux through the Mono framework. The language features strong typing with both dynamic and nominative typing disciplines.

### Development Ecosystem
The language is developed by Microsoft and has an active community with source code available on GitHub. It includes an integrated development environment (IDE) with visual designers, a comprehensive class library, and tools for building Windows Forms, WPF, and web applications. The official documentation is available in multiple languages including English and Japanese.

### Current Status
Visual Basic .NET remains actively developed with version 16.9 released in March 2024. It continues to receive updates and improvements as part of the broader .NET ecosystem. While Microsoft has shifted focus to C# for new development, Visual Basic maintains a strong presence in existing enterprise applications and continues to serve developers who prefer its syntax and development model.

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## References

1. [Source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2026/release-notes)
2. [Source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/whats-new/#visual-basic-1713)
3. [Source](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/11.0)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. [Proposal: Move C# and VB language design discussions to their new GitHub repos · Issue #17054 · dotnet/roslyn](https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn/issues/17054)
6. [[Meta Discussion] Moving Language Design issues out of this repo · Issue #18002 · dotnet/roslyn](https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn/issues/18002)
7. [Alexa Internet](https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/)
8. YSO-Wikidata mapping project