Paradigm | Procedural, object-oriented |
---|---|
Designed by | Andre Victor [1] |
Developer | The FreeBASIC Development Team |
First appeared | 2004 |
Stable release | 1.10.1 / December 25, 2023 |
Typing discipline | Static |
OS | MS-DOS, FreeBSD, Linux, Microsoft Windows |
License | GNU GPLv2+, Standard libraries licensed under the GNU LGPLv2+ |
Website | www |
Influenced by | |
QuickBASIC, C |
FreeBASIC is a free and open source multiplatform compiler and programming language based on BASIC licensed under the GNU GPL for Microsoft Windows, protected-mode MS-DOS (DOS extender), Linux, FreeBSD and Xbox. The Xbox version is no longer maintained. [2]
According to its official website, [3] FreeBASIC provides syntax compatibility with programs originally written in Microsoft QuickBASIC (QB). Unlike QuickBASIC, however, FreeBASIC is a command line only compiler, unless users manually install an external integrated development environment (IDE) of their choice. [4] IDEs specifically made for FreeBASIC include FBide and FbEdit, [5] while more graphical options include WinFBE Suite and VisualFBEditor. [6] [7]
On its backend, FreeBASIC makes use of GNU Binutils in order to produce console and graphical user interface applications. FreeBASIC supports the linking and creation of C static and dynamic libraries and has limited support for C++ libraries. As a result, code compiled in FreeBASIC can be reused in most native development environments.
C style preprocessing, including multiline macros, conditional compiling and file inclusion, is supported. The preprocessor also has access to symbol information and compiler settings, such as the language dialect.
Initially, FreeBASIC emulated Microsoft QuickBASIC syntax as closely as possible. Beyond that, the language has continued its evolution. As a result, FreeBASIC combines several language dialects for maximum level of compatibility with QuickBASIC and full access to modern features. [8] New features include support for concepts such as objects, operator overloading, function overloading, namespaces and others. [9]
Newline characters indicate the termination of programming statements. A programming statement can be distributed on multiple consecutive lines by using the underscore line continuation char (_), whereas multiple statements may be written on a single line by separating each statement with a colon (:).
Block comments, as well as end-of-line remarks are supported. Full line comments are made with an apostrophe '
, while blocks of commented code begin with /'
and end with '/
.
FreeBASIC is not case-sensitive.
FreeBASIC provides built-in, QuickBASIC compatible graphics support through FBgfx, which is automatically included into programs that make a call to the SCREEN
command. Its backend defaults to OpenGL on Linux and DirectX on Microsoft Windows. This abstraction makes FBgfx graphics code cross-platform compatible. However, FBgfx is not hardware accelerated.
Users familiar with external graphics utilities such as OpenGL or the Windows API can use them without interfering with the built-in graphics library.
As FreeBASIC has evolved, changes have been made that required breaking older-styled syntax. In order to continue supporting programs written using the older syntax, FreeBASIC now supports the following dialects:
GOSUB
/ RETURN
, numeric labels and other features are allowed in this dialect.Standard programs, such as the "Hello, World!" program are done just as they were in QuickBASIC.
Print"Hello, World!"sleep:end'Comment, prevents the program window from closing instantly
FreeBASIC adds to this with support for object-oriented features such as methods, constructors, dynamic memory allocation, properties and temporary allocation.
TypeVectorPrivate:xAsIntegeryAsIntegerPublic:DeclareConstructor(nXAsInteger=0,nYAsInteger=0)DeclarePropertygetXAsIntegerDeclarePropertygetYAsIntegerEndTypeConstructorVector(nXAsInteger,nYAsInteger)x=nXy=nYEndConstructorPropertyVector.getXAsIntegerReturnxEndPropertyPropertyVector.getYAsIntegerReturnyEndProperty
DimAsVectorPtrplayer=NewVector()*player=Type<Vector>(100,100)Printplayer->getXPrintplayer->getYDeleteplayerSleep'Prevents the program window from closing instantly
In both cases, the language is well suited for learning purposes.
Blitz BASIC is the programming language dialect of the first Blitz compilers, devised by New Zealand-based developer Mark Sibly. Being derived from BASIC, Blitz syntax was designed to be easy to pick up for beginners first learning to program. The languages are game-programming oriented but are often found general purpose enough to be used for most types of application. The Blitz language evolved as new products were released, with recent incarnations offering support for more advanced programming techniques such as object-orientation and multithreading. This led to the languages losing their BASIC moniker in later years.
An integrated development environment (IDE) is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities for software development. An IDE normally consists of at least a source-code editor, build automation tools, and a debugger. Some IDEs, such as IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse and Lazarus contain the necessary compiler, interpreter or both; others, such as SharpDevelop, NetBeans do not.
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Pascal is an imperative and procedural programming language, designed by Niklaus Wirth as a small, efficient language intended to encourage good programming practices using structured programming and data structuring. It is named after French mathematician, philosopher and physicist Blaise Pascal.
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Microsoft QuickBASIC is an Integrated Development Environment and compiler for the BASIC programming language that was developed by Microsoft. QuickBASIC runs mainly on DOS, though there was also a short-lived version for the classic Mac OS. It is loosely based on GW-BASIC but adds user-defined types, improved programming structures, better graphics and disk support and a compiler in addition to the interpreter. Microsoft marketed QuickBASIC as the introductory level for their BASIC Professional Development System. Microsoft marketed two other similar IDEs for C and Pascal, viz QuickC and QuickPascal.
PowerBASIC, formerly Turbo Basic, is the brand of several commercial compilers by PowerBASIC Inc. that compile a dialect of the BASIC programming language. There are both MS-DOS and Windows versions, and two kinds of the latter: Console and Windows. The MS-DOS version has a syntax similar to that of QBasic and QuickBASIC. The Windows versions use a BASIC syntax expanded to include many Windows functions, and the statements can be combined with calls to the Windows API.
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