• 14-Ago-2007: First english version

What is Basic?

Basic is a computer programming language, one of the first "high level" languages. It was used as a language for introduction to programming, but it has been replaced by more structured languages, such as Pascal. Modern Basic version allow as much structuration as Pascal does, and very powerful implementations can be found.

There is a Basic-based visual tool which allows easy development for Windows, it is called Visual Basic, by Microsoft.

You can find Basic interpreters in almost any MsDos-equipped computer (GwBasic or QBasic, depending on the Dos version), and there are lots of free interpreters for Windows and Unix. Also, many applications include a limited version of Basic for the creation of macros (Microsoft call it VBA, "Visual Basic for Applications").

(Back to top)

Tutorials on Basic

Visual Basic Tutorials:

• (None available yet)

"Classic" (text-mode) Basic tutorials:

• (None available yet)

(Back to top)

Basic compilers

Free:

• ASIC, version 4.00, Basic compiler, text-mode, similar to QuickBasic, a 260 KB Zip compressed file.
• UBasic, version 8.30, Basic interpreter, text-mode, similar to GwBasic, a 338 KB Zip compressed file.
• Información sobre Visual Basic, la herramienta visual para Windows creada por Microsoft, basada en el lenguaje Basic. Es posible descargar la versión "Control Creation Edition", que no permite crear ficheros EXE pero sí controles ActiveX, tras rellenar un formulario en la Web de Microsoft.
• RapidQ, Basic compiler, visual, free, available for Windows and Linux, which also allows the creation of text-mode programs, and even old-style programs with line numbers.
• XBasic, Basic compiler, visual, also available for Windows and Linux, also free, but maybe a bit more difficult to use than RapidQ.
• DarkBasic, Basic compiler for Windows, designed to ease the games creation.
• Envelop, is a visual compiler, which tries to imitate Visual Basic.
• Yabasic, is a console (text-mode) Basic interpreter, available for Windows and several Unix versions, and whose source code is available.
• Bywater Basic is a similar interpreter, for Linux and Dos.
• Free Basic is a multiplatform open-source Basic compiler, which to be as compatible as possible with QBasic and QuickBasic.
• QuickForward is an open source compiler, which includes a development environment and intends to be highly compatible to QuickBasic 4.5.
• NewBasic is a project for the creation of a open-source Basic compiler, multiplatform, object oriented and which compiles to Byte-Code (as Java does).
• B++ (or B-improved) is a object oriented Basic for Windows.
• SpeedBasic contains a development environment, allows the creation of visual programs and converts the Basic source programs to C++, so that they can be compiled later using Visual C++ 6, MinGW or Borland C++ 5.5
• ExtremeBasic is a Windows and Mac compiler, which includes a development environment and allows the creation of applications with GUI (Graphical User Interface). The Windows version requires the MinGW C++ compiler.
• wxBasic is multiplatform Basic , for Windows and Linux, which uses the wxWindows libraries.
• SmallBasic is a simple compiler which has versions for Windows, Dos, Linux and PalmOs.
• The "Express" version off Visual Basic 2005 can be freely downloaded in the Microsoft site: msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb/

• QBasic was a text-mode Basic interpreter, created by Microsoft, which was included in the last versions of MsDos.
• QuickBasic was a text-mode Basic compiler, created by Microsoft, discontinued.
• Visual is a visual compiler for Windows, created by Microsoft, Basic es un compilador de Basic para Windows, creado por Microsoft, visual, non-free. More info at msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic.
• TurboBasic was a text-mode Basic compiler, created by Borland, discontinued.
• TrueBasic is a development created by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz, the original creators of Basic language in 1964. There are versions for Windows y Mac, but the freely downloadable one does not allow you to work for more than 15 minutes withvolver a entrar.
• RealBasic es un compilador multiplataforma para Windows, Macintosh y Linux, con buena apariencia, pero no es gratuito. Se puede descargar una versión demo.
• iBasic es otro compilador no gratuito para Windows, con soporte para DirectX.
• Another interesing non-free is PowerBasic.
• You can also have a look to PureBasic, which has versions for Windows, Linux and AmigaOS.

(Back to top)

Basic sources

• (None available yet)

(Back to top)

Other links on Basic

• Info about Visual Basic, the visual tool for Windows, created by Microsoft, based on Basic language.

(Back to top)

Changes in this page

(Back to top)