[2023] What is VB.NET? A Thorough Look at Its Features, Future, and Use Cases

VB.NET (Visual Basic .NET) is an object-oriented programming language developed and provided by Microsoft. It is used for development on the .NET Framework and has long been heavily used for Windows-related development. VB.NET wasn't developed from scratch — it traces back to Visual Basic, which Microsoft developed in 1991, and VB.NET itself was born in 2002.

In this article, we'll explain the history of VB.NET, its features, recent demand and future prospects, and what kinds of application development it's suited for!

1. First, the definition and structure of the .NET Framework

.NET Framework is a development and runtime environment provided by Microsoft. It's mainly used to develop Windows applications and web services.

Computers running Windows 7 or later come with the .NET Framework installed by default.
Basically, the .NET Framework is made up of three components.

(1) Common Language Runtime (CLR)

This is the name of the virtual machine used to run services and applications on the .NET Framework. It allows applications written in multiple programming languages to run across different system environments without needing to be rewritten to account for the specific characteristics of each environment.
In the .NET Framework, a program written by a person is first converted into a "Common Intermediate Language (CIL)," and that intermediate language is then interpreted to run the program. The mechanism that does this is the Common Language Runtime.

(2) Base Class Library (BCL)

A class library is a collection of general-purpose, reusable code organized into classes.

Numerous other class libraries are also provided, dramatically boosting development efficiency in ways beginners may not even notice.

Examples: the String class, Array class, Char class, and so on

(3) Framework

Unlike a class library, a framework has the processing flow already implemented.

The .NET Framework itself is a web application framework, providing the structure needed for something to function as a web application.

The flow of code in the .NET Framework (Wikipedia)

2. What is Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET)?

Visual Basic .NET (abbreviated: VB.NET) is an object-oriented language developed by Microsoft. It's often described as the successor to Visual Basic (VB), since it adds object-oriented elements to VB while making it compatible with the ".NET Framework."

VB.NET, as an object-oriented language, was born in 2002. It is also not compatible with its predecessor, VB6.0 and earlier versions. Incidentally, support for Visual Basic 6.0 ended in April 2008, and support for Windows Vista, on which its IDE could be installed, also ended in April 2017. So it's worth remembering that migrating from VB6.0 to VB.NET is generally recommended.

2.1 History of VB (Visual Basic) and VB.NET

While there are general definitions for "VB" and "VB.NET," not every engineer is familiar with the full history of VB. So when the word "VB" comes up in conversation, it helps to be mindful of which one is being discussed, to avoid misunderstandings.

* Generally, Visual Studio 2019 and earlier versions are supported for 10 years. It's worth keeping that number in mind.
Reference: Wikipedia

2.2 Features and benefits of VB.NET

2.3 Frequently asked questions about VB and VB.NET

3. Recent demand and future prospects of VB.NET

Next, let's discuss the demand and future prospects of Visual Basic .NET.

3.1 Recent demand for Visual Basic .NET

VB.NET is strong for Windows-related development, but with JavaScript-based frameworks having advanced considerably, there probably aren't many projects today that build a system from scratch with VB.NET.
That said, as long as systems already built with VB.NET remain in use, demand for maintenance and enhancement projects is expected to keep rising.

According to the TIOBE (*) index, which ranks the popularity of programming languages,
- in January 2021, it was ranked 8th,
- in January 2022, it moved from 8th to 6th, an improvement,
- and in January 2023 (as of this article's writing), it dropped slightly by -0.10%, but is still holding the 6th spot.

* Reference: TIOBE "Index for September 2023

TIOBE programming languages, updated for 2023

At the time of the novel-coronavirus pandemic, the need for DX and workstyle reform rose, driving up demand for VB.NET as well

3.2 Future prospects of Visual Basic .NET

In short, the future of VB.NET can be summed up as: "it will keep a firm foothold in some maintenance and enhancement projects, but its share is likely to gradually shrink."

This trend still holds strong in industries that place weight on track record, such as call center systems in finance, insurance, and government. So, as long as systems built with VB.NET exist, maintenance and enhancement projects for them will continue to arise.
There's also a strong push to migrate systems built with VB (up to Visual Basic 6.0) to VB.NET, so the resulting migration demand shouldn't be overlooked either.

On the other hand, in today's age of open source dominance, it's judged unlikely that VB.NET — with its comparatively lower versatility — will significantly expand its market share.

4. Use cases for VB.NET and points for suitable application development

What you can do with Visual Basic .NET is well suited to developing the parts users directly see, such as buttons and text boxes. Since the code for each program comes as a neat, self-contained unit, its major strength is that you can build programs simply by combining them.
You can also build programs for Windows apps such as Excel, Outlook, and Word — for instance, automatically sorting and replying to emails based on their subject or body content.

For use cases, it helps to look at examples of applications built with "Visual Studio," the integrated development environment in which Visual Basic .NET is used.
- Web app development
- Windows classic app development
- UWP app development
- Development of extension tools for Office applications
- Smartphone app development
- 3D game development

It can handle all this kind of coding. But keep in mind that, as explained above, its core strength lies in user interfaces that end users directly see, so it's not well suited to heavy backend-focused development.

5. For VB.NET engineer shortages or legacy system upgrades, turn to Miichisoft

In this article, we've introduced an overview of the .NET Framework, along with the definition, features, market demand, and future prospects of Visual Basic .NET. As Microsoft's support deadlines approach, and with the need for DX and adding or upgrading features in existing systems growing since COVID, this kind of work is only becoming more common.

If you're currently looking for VB.NET or ASP.NET engineers or architects, please feel free to consult Miichisoft.
We have a large team of well-trained engineers, and we're known for our strong technical capabilities.
We also offer IT consulting, so we can analyze your existing systems and support you end-to-end — from requirements definition through basic and detailed design, and on through development, testing, and operations.

We don't just solve the problem right in front of you — we also address the underlying business issues, so please feel free to reach out to us.