Visual Basic is one of the world's most loved programming languages due to its easy-to-learn nature. Even novice programmers will not struggle with getting to grips with its syntax in no time at all, while expert programmers will still find that it is a powerful tool to enable them to create quite complex functions and programs. But how useful is Visual Basic in industry today? The programming languages of Java and C++ seem to dominate the programming scene so where does the beloved Microsoft-created Visual Basic fit in?
What's known as Visual Basic today actually started life under the guise of Visual Basic .NET, the successor to the original Visual Basic. The name gives a big hint as to the major usage of the language in industry today which is that of the internet. It is, in fact, implemented on the Microsoft .NET framework which further allows the creation of programs that utilise the Windows API.
There are an incredible number of different ways to build applications suitable for use on the internet, but Visual Basic presents certain key advantages to some other potential methods. For one thing you can reduce the cost of deployment as the users of the application will simply need a web browser running on a Windows operating system; no additional software is required. For developers there's no need to learn a new and complex scripting language, and with Visual Basic's easy debugging tool the applications can be created quickly and cost effectively. If that's not enough perhaps the temptation of quick downloads, due to the lack of large components needed to run the application, will persuade you of the benefits of Visual Basic internet applications.
The internet isn't the only world where Visual Basic comes into play. With Microsoft Office essentially being the standard for the production of documents, accounts and even, in some cases, databases this powerful programming language can remove a lot of boredom through the automation of monotonous tasks. If you frequently copy data from one Excel spreadsheet to another you can create a simple program utilising Visual Basic to do this for you on the click of a button. These in-built procedures are commonly referred to as macros, however you can also create application-level add-ons which enable you to add a button to the tool bar of any Microsoft Office program. This allows you to essentially custom-build your own tool bar full of all of the functions that would be useful to you that aren't automatically included in the program.
Despite the growing popularity of other programming languages in the world of the internet and application development today Visual Basic still holds its own. In terms of creating applications for Microsoft Office software you will find no other language that can be so easily and simply integrated. The ability to quickly create simple internet applications that can be used anywhere with the appropriate browser and a copy of Windows installed is also incredibly powerful. For programmers of a novice skill level, Visual Basic is an ideal language to learn, and for more experienced developers it is still exceptionally useful to have a deep knowledge of this very useful language.
