'''Visual Basic''' ('''VB'''), originally called '''Visual Basic .NET''' ('''VB.NET'''), is a [[Multi-paradigm programming language|multi-paradigm]], [[Object-oriented programming|object-oriented]] [[programming language]], developed by [[Microsoft]] and implemented on [[.NET]], [[Mono (software)|Mono]], and the [[.NET Framework]]. Microsoft launched VB.NET in 2002 as the successor to its [[Visual Basic (classic)|original Visual Basic]] 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 [[Visual Basic (classic)|classic Visual Basic]]. Along with [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]] and [[F Sharp (programming language)|F#]], 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=KathleenDollard |title=Visual Basic language strategy - Visual Basic |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/getting-started/strategy |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=learn.microsoft.com |date=February 6, 2023 |language=en-us |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331060301/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/getting-started/strategy |url-status=live }}</ref>
Microsoft's [[integrated development environment]] (IDE) for developing in Visual Basic is [[Visual Studio]]. Most Visual Studio editions are [[commercial software|commercial]]; the only exceptions are [[Visual Studio Express]] and [[Microsoft Visual Studio#Community|Visual Studio Community]], which are [[freeware]]. In addition, the [[.NET Framework SDK]] includes a freeware [[command-line]] [[compiler]] called vbc.exe. [[Mono (software)|Mono]] also includes a command-line VB.NET compiler.
