Note
Origins and Successor:
Microsoft launched VB.NET in 2002 as the successor to its original Visual Basic language.
The last version of the classic Visual Basic was Visual Basic 6.0.
Although the “.NET” portion of the name was dropped in 2005, this article refers to all Visual Basic languages released since 2002 as “Visual Basic [.NET]” to distinguish them from the classic version.
Managed Code and .NET Framework:
VB.NET introduced managed code, which contrasts with the classic Visual Basic. It relies on the .NET Framework for execution.
Language Features:
VB.NET is a multi-paradigm language, supporting structured, imperative, object-oriented, declarative, generic, reflective, and event-driven programming. It is one of the three main languages targeting the .NET ecosystem, alongside C# and F#.
IDE and Development:
Microsoft’s integrated development environment (IDE) for developing in Visual Basic is Visual Studio. Most Visual Studio editions are commercial, but there are freeware versions like Visual Studio Express and Visual Studio Community. The .NET Framework SDK includes a command-line compiler called vbc.exe.
Windows Forms and GUI Development:
Visual Basic is often used in conjunction with the Windows Forms GUI library to create desktop apps for Windows. Developers use drag-and-drop techniques to design forms in Visual Studio, placing controls (e.g., text boxes, buttons) on the form and writing corresponding code for each control.
Legacy and Maintenance:
VB.NET laid the groundwork for future versions of Microsoft Word.
As of 2023, Microsoft has stated that VB is a stable language, and they will continue maintaining it1.
