Visual Basic (.NET): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:02, 31 March 2023

Revision as of 12:45, 8 April 2023

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| screenshot caption = A [[Windows Forms]] form made in Visual Basic showing some commonly-used controls

| paradigm = [[Programming paradigm#Multi-paradigm|Multi-paradigm]]: [[Structured programming|structured]], [[Imperative programming|imperative]], [[Object-oriented programming|object-oriented]], [[Declarative programming|declarative]], [[generic programming|generic]], [[reflective programming|reflective]] and [[Event-driven programming|event-driven]]

| platform = [[.NET Framework]], [[Mono (software)|Mono]], [[.NET]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vbteam/2018/11/12/visual-basic-in-net-core-3-0/|title=Visual Basic in .NET Core 3.0|first=Kathleen|last=Dollard|website=blogs.msdn.microsoft.com|date=November 13, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2018|archive-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119070011/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vbteam/2018/11/12/visual-basic-in-net-core-3-0/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="devblogs-2020-03-11">{{cite web |url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/vbteam/visual-basic-support-planned-for-net-5-0/ |title=Visual Basic support planned for .NET 5.0 &#124; Visual Basic Blog |publisher=Blogs.msdn.microsoft.com |date=2020-03-11 |access-date=2020-08-26 |archive-date=January 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105022953/https://devblogs.microsoft.com/vbteam/visual-basic-support-planned-for-net-5-0/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

| operating_system = Chiefly [[Windows]]<br>Also on [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[BSD]], [[iOS (Apple)|iOS]], [[Linux]], [[macOS]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], and [[Unix]] <!-- Mono implementations, remember? -->

| license = [[Roslyn (compiler)|Roslyn]] compiler: [[Apache License|Apache License 2.0]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn/blob/1ff27b046b5c03abb38bfeda44eb82da0b8df9de/License.txt|title=Dotnet/Roslyn|website=[[GitHub]]|date=November 2, 2022|access-date=April 14, 2019|archive-date=May 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502004515/https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn/blob/1ff27b046b5c03abb38bfeda44eb82da0b8df9de/License.txt|url-status=live}}</ref><br/>

| website = {{URL|https://docs.microsoft.com/dotnet/visual-basic/}}

| file_ext = <code>.vb</code>

}}

'''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]], implemented on [[.NET]], [[Mono (software)|Mono]], and the [[.NET Framework]]. Microsoft launched VB.NET in 2002 as the successor to its [[Classic Visual Basic|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 [[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 Feb 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 |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.

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In addition, in Visual Basic:

* There is no unified way of defining blocks of statements. Instead, certain keywords, such as "If … Then" or "Sub" are interpreted as starters of sub-blocks of code and have matching termination keywords such as "End If" or "End Sub".

* Statements are terminated either with a [[Colon (punctuation)|colon]] (":") or with the [[end of line]]. Multiple-line statements in Visual Basic are enabled with " _" at the end of each such line. The need for the underscore continuation character was largely removed in version 10 and later versions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff637436.aspx |title=New Features in Visual Basic 10 |access-date=September 5, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304231731/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff637436.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

* The [[equals sign]] ("=") is used in both assigning values to variables and in comparison.

* [[Parentheses|Round brackets]] (parentheses) are used with [[Array data structure|arrays]], both to declare them and to get a value at a given index in one of them. Visual Basic uses round brackets to define the parameters of subroutines or functions.

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</syntaxhighlight>

This is a module definition. Modules are a division of code, which can contain any kind of object, like constants or variables, functions or methods, or classes, but can't be instantiated as objects like classes and cannot inherit from other modules. Modules serve as containers of code that can be referenced from other parts of a program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aaxss7da(VS.80).aspx |title=Module Statement |publisher=MSDN – Developer Center |access-date=January 20, 2010 |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109092122/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aaxss7da(VS.80).aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><br />It is common practice for a module and the code file which contains it to have the same name. However, this is not required, as a single code file may contain more than one module and/or class.

<syntaxhighlight lang="vbnet">

Sub Main()

</syntaxhighlight>

This line defines a subroutine called "Main". "Main" is the entry point, where the program begins execution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235406(VS.80).aspx |title=Main Procedure in Visual Basic |publisher=MSDN – Developer Center |access-date=January 20, 2010 |archive-date=January 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128090733/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235406(VS.80).aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

<syntaxhighlight lang="vbnet">

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This line performs the actual task of writing the output. ''Console'' is a system object, representing a command-line interface (also known as a "console") and granting programmatic access to the operating system's [[standard streams]]. The program calls the ''Console'' method ''WriteLine,'' which causes the string passed to it to be displayed on the console.

Instead of Console.WriteLine, one could use MsgBox, which prints the message in a dialog box instead of a command-line window.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/3cf7t4xt(VS.80).aspx |title=Visual Basic Version of Hello, World |publisher=MSDN – Developer Center |access-date=January 20, 2010 |archive-date=January 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111152427/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/3cf7t4xt(VS.80).aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Complex example ===

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The things that ''have'' changed significantly are the semantics—from those of an object-based programming language running on a [[deterministic]], [[reference counting|reference-counted]] engine based on [[Component Object Model|COM]] to a fully [[object-oriented]] language backed by the [[.NET Framework]], which consists of a combination of the [[Common Language Runtime]] (a [[virtual machine]] using [[Garbage collection (computer science)#Generational GC (aka Ephemeral GC)|generational garbage collection]] and a [[just-in-time compilation]] engine) and a far larger [[class library]]. The increased breadth of the latter is also a problem that VB developers have to deal with when coming to the language, although this is somewhat addressed by the ''My'' feature in Visual Studio 2005.

The changes have altered many underlying assumptions about the "right" thing to do with respect to performance and maintainability. Some functions and libraries no longer exist; others are available, but not as efficient as the "native" .NET alternatives. Even if they compile, most converted Visual Basic 6 applications will require some level of [[refactoring]] to take full advantage of the new language. Documentation is available to cover changes in the syntax, debugging applications, deployment and terminology.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/ms788233|title = Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Migration Resource Center|access-date = November 9, 2014|website = [[MSDN]]|publisher = [[Microsoft]]|archive-date = November 9, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141109140433/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/ms788233|url-status = live}}</ref>

==== Comparative examples ====

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* The names <code>Command1</code> and <code>Button1</code> are not obligatory. However, these are default names for a command button in Visual Basic 6 and VB.NET respectively.

* In VB.NET, the <code>Handles</code> keyword is used to make the sub <code>Button1_Click</code> a handler for the <code>Click</code> event of the object <code>Button1</code>. In Visual Basic 6, event handler subs must have a specific name consisting of the object's name ("Command1"), an underscore ("_"), and the event's name ("Click", hence "Command1_Click").

* There is a function called <code>MessageBox.Show</code> in the <code>Microsoft.VisualBasic</code> namespace which can be used (instead of <code>MsgBox</code>) similarly to the corresponding function in Visual Basic 6. There is a controversy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55979|title=Visual Studio 2003 Retired Technical documentation|website=Microsoft Download Center|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230014657/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa291820(VS.71).aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> about which function to use as a best practice (not only restricted to showing message boxes but also regarding other features of the <code>Microsoft.VisualBasic</code> namespace). Some programmers prefer to do things "the .NET way", since the Framework classes have more features and are less language-specific. Others argue that using language-specific features makes code more readable (for example, using <code>int</code> (C#) or <code>Integer</code> (VB.NET) instead of <code>System.Int32</code>).

* In Visual Basic 2008, the inclusion of <code>ByVal sender as Object, ByVal e as EventArgs</code> has become optional.

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{{Main|Comparison of C Sharp and Visual Basic .NET}}

C# and Visual Basic are Microsoft's first languages made to program on the .NET Framework (later adding [[F Sharp (programming language)|F#]] and more; others have also added languages). Though C# and Visual Basic are syntactically different, that is where the differences mostly end. Microsoft developed both of these languages to be part of the same .NET Framework development platform. They are both developed, managed, and supported by the same language development team at Microsoft.<ref>{{cite web |last=Krill |first=Paul |url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/02/27/Microsoft_converging_programming_languages_1.html?R=printThis&A=/article/09/02/27/Microsoft_converging_programming_languages_1.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126074556/http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/02/27/Microsoft_converging_programming_languages_1.html?R=printThis&A=/article/09/02/27/Microsoft_converging_programming_languages_1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 26, 2013 |title=Microsoft converging programming languages &#124; Developer World |publisher=InfoWorld |date=February 27, 2009 |access-date=August 18, 2013 }}</ref> They compile to the same intermediate language (IL), which runs against the same .NET Framework runtime libraries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dotnet-guide.com/msintermediate.html |title=Microsoft Intermediate Language |publisher=Dotnet-guide.com |access-date=August 18, 2013 |archive-date=June 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602151947/http://www.dotnet-guide.com/msintermediate.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Although there are some differences in the programming constructs, their differences are primarily syntactic and, assuming one avoids the Visual Basic "Compatibility" libraries provided by Microsoft to aid conversion from Visual Basic 6, almost every feature in VB has an equivalent feature in C# and vice versa. Lastly, both languages reference the same Base Classes of the .NET Framework to extend their functionality. As a result, with few exceptions, a program written in either language can be run through a simple syntax converter to translate to the other. There are many open source and commercially available products for this task.

== Examples ==

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* ''Edit and Continue'' feature{{elucidate|date=February 2014}}

* Design-time expression evaluation{{Elucidate|date=February 2014}}

* A pseudo-[[namespace]] called "My", which provides:<ref>{{cite web|url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc163680.aspx|title = Navigate The .NET Framework And Your Projects With The My Namespace|website = MSDN Magazine Visual Studio 2005 Guided Tour 2006|publisher = [[Microsoft]]|first = Duncan|last = Mackenzie|year = 2006|access-date = February 6, 2014|archive-date = February 15, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140215053141/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc163680.aspx|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379610.aspx|title = My.Internals: Examining the Visual Basic My Feature|first = Tyler|last = Whitney|date = November 2005|website = [[MSDN]]|publisher = [[Microsoft]]|access-date = February 6, 2014|archive-date = June 14, 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120614025325/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379610.aspx|url-status = live}}</ref>

** Easy access to certain areas of the .NET Framework that otherwise require significant code to access like using <syntaxhighlight lang="vbnet" inline>My.Form2.Text = " MainForm "</syntaxhighlight> rather than <syntaxhighlight lang="vbnet" inline>System.WindowsApplication1.Forms.Form2.text = " MainForm "</syntaxhighlight>

** Dynamically generated classes (e.g. ''My.Forms'')

* Improved VB-to-VB.NET converter<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379614.aspx|title=What's New with the Visual Basic Upgrade Wizard in Visual Basic 2005|website=msdn2.microsoft.com|access-date=January 29, 2008|archive-date=April 6, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406035326/http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379614.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

* A "using" keyword, simplifying the use of objects that require the Dispose [[Design pattern (computer science)|pattern]] to free resources

* ''Just My Code'' feature, which hides (steps over) [[boilerplate code]] written by the Visual Studio .NET IDE and system library code during debugging

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To bridge the gaps between itself and other .NET languages, this version added:

* [[Generic programming|Generics]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379608.aspx|title=Defining and Using Generics in Visual Basic 2005|website=msdn2.microsoft.com|access-date=January 29, 2008|archive-date=April 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423004351/http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379608.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

* [[Partial classes]], a method of defining some parts of a class in one file and then adding more definitions later; particularly useful for integrating user code with auto-generated code

* [[Operator overloading]] and [[nullable type]]s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379613.aspx|title=Operator Overloading in Visual Basic 2005|website=msdn2.microsoft.com|access-date=January 29, 2008|archive-date=April 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423001343/http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379613.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

* Support for [[integer (computer science)|unsigned integer]] data types commonly used in other languages

Visual Basic 2005 introduced the <code>IsNot</code> operator that makes <code>'If X IsNot Y'</code> equivalent to <code>'If Not X Is Y'</code>. It gained notoriety<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/02/22/real_slams_ms_patent/ |title=Real Software slams MS IsNot patent application |last=Sherriff |first=Lucy |publisher=The Register |date=February 22, 2005 |access-date=April 6, 2009 |archive-date=August 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803204929/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/02/22/real_slams_ms_patent/ |url-status=live }}</ref> when it was found to be the subject of a Microsoft patent application.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1766949,00.asp |title=Real Software Slams Microsofts Patent Effort |last=Taft |first=Darryl K. |publisher=eWeek |date=February 21, 2005 |access-date=April 6, 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040230959%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040230959%2F20040230959&RS=DN/20040230959%2F20040230959 |title=United States Patent Application: 20040230959 |work=Patent Application Full Text and Image Database |last1=Vick |first1=Paul A. Jr. |last2=Barsan |first2=Costica Corneliu |last3=Silver |first3=Amanda K. |date=May 14, 2003 |publisher=US Patent & Trademark Office |access-date=April 6, 2009 |archive-date=February 11, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060211172531/http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040230959%22.PGNR.&OS=DN%2F20040230959&RS=DN%2F20040230959 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2008 (VB 9.0) ===

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| url-status = dead

}}</ref> but shifted to a co-evolution strategy between Visual Basic and sister language C# to bring both languages into closer parity with one another. Visual Basic's innate ability to interact dynamically with CLR and COM objects has been enhanced to work with dynamic languages built on the DLR such as [[IronPython]] and [[IronRuby]].<ref>{{cite web

| url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/we86c8x2%28VS.100%29.aspx

| title = What is New in Visual Basic 2010

| year=2009

| publisher=[[Microsoft]]

| quote=''Visual Basic binds to objects from dynamic languages such as IronPython and IronRuby''

| access-date=August 12, 2009

| access-date = August 12, 2009}}</ref> The Visual Basic compiler was improved to infer line continuation in a set of common contexts, in many cases removing the need for the " _" line continuation characters. Also, existing support of inline Functions was complemented with support for inline Subs as well as multi-line versions of both Sub and Function lambdas.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vbasic/ee336123.aspx | title=What's New in Visual Basic 2010 | year=2010 | publisher=Microsoft | access-date=August 1, 2010}}</ref>

| archive-date=August 4, 2009

| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804043607/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/we86c8x2(VS.100).aspx

| url-status=live

| access-date = August 12, 2009}}</ref> The Visual Basic compiler was improved to infer line continuation in a set of common contexts, in many cases removing the need for the " _" line continuation characters. Also, existing support of inline Functions was complemented with support for inline Subs as well as multi-line versions of both Sub and Function lambdas.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vbasic/ee336123.aspx | title=What's New in Visual Basic 2010 | year=2010 | publisher=Microsoft | access-date=August 1, 2010 | archive-date=July 26, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726161130/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vbasic/ee336123.aspx | url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2012 (VB 11.0) ===

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=== 2013 (VB 12.0) ===

Visual Basic 2013 was released alongside .NET Framework 4.5.1 with Visual Studio 2013. Can also build .NET Framework 4.5.2 applications by installing Developer Pack.<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42637 |title=Download Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 Developer Pack for Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 SP2 Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 from Official Microsoft Download Center] |access-date=January 11, 2020 |archive-date=January 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109181051/http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42637 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2015 (VB 14.0) ===

Visual Basic 2015 (code named VB "14.0") was released with Visual Studio 2015. Language features include a new "?." operator to perform inline null checks, and a new string interpolation feature is included to format strings inline.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vbteam/archive/2014/12/09/new-language-features-in-visual-basic-14.aspx|title=New Language Features in Visual Basic 14|website=msdn.com|access-date=February 5, 2015|archive-date=December 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225220053/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vbteam/archive/2014/12/09/new-language-features-in-visual-basic-14.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== 2017 (VB 15.x) ===

Visual Basic 2017 (code named VB "15.0") was released with Visual Studio 2017.

Extends support for new Visual Basic 15 language features with revision 2017, 15.3, 15.5, 15.8. Introduces new refactorings that allow organizing source code with one action.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/news/releasenotes/vs2017-relnotes|title=Visual Studio 2017 Release Notes|last=reshmim|website=www.visualstudio.com|access-date=April 5, 2017|archive-date=January 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122175218/https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/news/releasenotes/vs2017-relnotes|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/getting-started/whats-new#visual-basic-158|title=What's new for Visual Basic 2017,15.3,15.5,15.8|last=reshmim|website=www.visualstudio.com|access-date=January 11, 2020|archive-date=September 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901152416/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/getting-started/whats-new#visual-basic-158|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== 2019 (VB 16.0) ===

Visual Basic 2019 (code named VB "16.0") was released with Visual Studio 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2019/release-notes|title=Visual Studio 2019 Release Notes|last=reshmim|website=www.visualstudio.com|access-date=August 2, 2019|archive-date=November 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129155944/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2019/release-notes|url-status=live}}</ref> It is the first version of Visual Basic focused on .NET Core.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/getting-started/whats-new#visual-basic-160|title=What's new for Visual Basic 16.0|last=reshmim|website=www.visualstudio.com|access-date=January 11, 2020|archive-date=September 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901152416/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/getting-started/whats-new#visual-basic-160|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Cross-platform and open-source development ==

The official Visual Basic compiler is written in Visual Basic and is available on GitHub as a part of the [[.NET Compiler Platform]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Roslyn|date=2019-04-13|url=https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn|publisher=.NET Foundation|access-date=2019-04-14|archive-date=February 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222190922/https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn|url-status=live}}</ref> The creation of open-source tools for Visual Basic development has been slow compared to [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], although the [[Mono (software)|Mono]] development platform provides an implementation of Visual Basic-specific libraries and a Visual Basic 2005 compatible [[compiler]] written in Visual Basic,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mono-project.com/VisualBasic.NET_support|title=Redirecting…|website=www.mono-project.com|access-date=June 30, 2008|archive-date=January 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130181059/https://www.mono-project.com/VisualBasic.NET_support/|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as standard framework libraries such as [[Windows Forms]] GUI library.

[[MonoDevelop]] is an [[open-source software|open-source]] alternative [[Integrated development environment|IDE]]. The [[Gambas]] environment is also similar but distinct from Visual Basic, as is the Visual FB Editor for [[FreeBasic]].

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== References ==

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="option strict explicit">{{cite web|title=Option Explicit and Option Strict in Visual Basic .NET and in Visual Basic|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/311329|work=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=August 22, 2013|date=March 19, 2008|archive-date=April 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404001840/http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/311329|url-status=live}}</ref>

}}

== Further reading ==

{{refbegin}}

# {{cite web |url = http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyId=6D50D709-EAA4-44D7-8AF3-E14280403E6E&displaylang=en |title = Visual Basic Language Specification 8.0 |publisher = Microsoft Corporation |date = November 15, 2005 |access-date = December 10, 2010 |archive-date = January 21, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110121020153/http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=6d50d709-eaa4-44d7-8af3-e14280403e6e&displaylang=en |url-status = live }}

# {{cite web |url = http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=995 |title = Visual Basic Language Specification 9.0 |publisher = Microsoft Corporation |date = December 19, 2007 |access-date = September 28, 2011 }}

# {{cite web |url = http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=15039 |title = Visual Basic Language Specification 11.0 |publisher = Microsoft Corporation |date = June 7, 2013 |access-date = September 22, 2013 |archive-date = March 5, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120305010924/http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=15039 |url-status = live }}

{{refend}}