List of the Top 5 Programming Languages for Visual Basic in 2025

Mercury serves as a sophisticated evolution of the BASIC programming language, offering complete compatibility with Microsoft Visual Basic.NET™ while broadening its scope and potential applications. This groundbreaking tool empowers developers to enhance their existing VB.NET projects, allowing them to leverage their Visual Basic™ skills for creating applications across a diverse range of contemporary platforms. Furthermore, developers have the option to integrate Mercury code with any of the other five Elements languages within a single project, enhancing functionality and versatility. The inclusion of the Mercury language in our development environments is both smooth and effective. You can utilize our smart yet powerful IDEs, Water for Windows or Fire for Mac, to create projects equipped with project templates, code completion features, and extensive debugging tools available on all platforms, among other advanced development options. Additionally, Mercury guarantees seamless compatibility with Visual Studio™ versions 2017, 2019, and 2022. Within the Elements framework, all programming languages are treated with equal importance, enabling easy integration of Mercury with C#, Swift, Java, Oxygene, and Go in the same project, which cultivates an atmosphere of flexibility and innovation in software creation. This adaptability not only enhances developer experience but also paves the way for exploring new and exciting programming paradigms and solutions.

Synergy DBL stands out as a dependable business language adhering to ANSI standards, complete with class libraries, a high-performance database, and seamless .NET interoperability, which together underpin the Synergy/DE product suite. This adaptable language provides developers with the tools to create scalable and portable enterprise applications while supporting both object-oriented and structured programming paradigms. There are two distinct versions of Synergy DBL: the classic edition and the variant tailored for .NET environments. The classic version connects effortlessly with a range of open technologies such as XML, HTTPS, SSL, and ActiveX, promoting smooth interaction with external applications and data sources. Furthermore, the multi-pass Synergy DBL compiler boasts advanced prototyping features and stringent error-detection mechanisms, ensuring that the code produced is of the highest quality. On the other hand, Synergy DBL for .NET empowers developers to craft libraries and applications that operate natively within the .NET framework, allowing for further enhancements through the utilization of .NET Framework libraries, third-party controls, and effective interoperability with applications created in various programming languages. This level of adaptability and integration makes Synergy DBL a highly suitable option for the demands of contemporary software development. Ultimately, its robust capabilities and flexibility cater to the evolving needs of developers in today's dynamic tech landscape.

X# is an open-source programming language tailored for the .NET framework and is rooted in the xBase language. It comes in multiple versions such as Core, Visual Objects, Vulcan.NET, xBase++, Harbour, and Foxpro, among others. Developed on the Roslyn platform, which underpins contemporary Microsoft C# and Visual Basic compilers, X# features a wide array of enhancements. A newly introduced options page (tools/options/text editor/X#) permits users to customize the suggestions offered by the editor in the general code completion list. The code completion functionality is crafted to present pertinent namespaces, types, and members after a colon or dot, while suggestions following AS or IS are geared towards types and namespaces. To strengthen compatibility with FoxPro and Xbase++, several preprocessor enhancements have been integrated, including the introduction of the #if and #stdout commands. Additionally, various minor tweaks within the RDD system have been executed to improve its compatibility with Visual Objects, XBase++, and FoxPro, thereby ensuring a more fluid development process. These refinements are a testament to our dedication to ongoing enhancement and responsiveness to user input, as we continually strive to meet the evolving needs of developers.

QBasic and QuickBasic are user-friendly programming languages ideal for beginners, originating from the DOS environment but also compatible with Windows systems. While QBasic is a more simplified variant of QuickBasic, it has significant drawbacks, such as lacking a compiler, which means it cannot produce executable files (.exe). Users can only execute source code files, which usually have a .bas extension, via the built-in QBasic interpreter. In contrast, QuickBasic provides a wider array of commands than its simpler version. For those new to programming, beginning with a straightforward language and an easy-to-use compiler can be particularly advantageous. QBasic, often referred to as QB, offers unique benefits for both novices and seasoned developers that are typically absent in other compilers. During the time when DOS was the primary operating system, the QBasic Integrated Development Environment (IDE) was widely favored among programmers. Today, running QBasic or QuickBasic on contemporary Windows platforms requires a DOS emulator like DOSBox to ensure compatibility. This necessity highlights the significant advancements in technology since the era of DOS. Furthermore, QBasic's straightforward nature enables learners to understand essential programming principles without becoming overwhelmed, making it an ideal choice for those just starting out. As programming continues to evolve, the legacy of languages like QBasic and QuickBasic remains influential in shaping the learning experiences of new developers.

Prolog is a logic-based programming language that is intricately connected to artificial intelligence and computational linguistics. Emerging from the realm of first-order logic, a particular kind of formal logic, Prolog sets itself apart from many other programming languages by being chiefly declarative, allowing users to express logic through relations defined by specific facts and rules. To initiate any computation, users must formulate queries against these defined relations. As one of the early pioneers in logic programming, Prolog remains widely used today, with numerous free and commercial versions available. This adaptable language has been utilized across various domains, including theorem proving, expert systems, term rewriting, type systems, automated planning, and its original focus on natural language processing. Furthermore, modern Prolog environments enhance its usability by providing tools for creating graphical user interfaces while also accommodating a range of administrative functions and networked applications, showcasing its versatility in the landscape of contemporary programming. The ongoing evolution of Prolog ensures that it remains relevant and valuable in addressing complex computational challenges.