Home • VB 7+ • VB 1-6 • FB • QB64 • QB45 • GW-BASIC • Micro • Retro

FreeBASIC

FreeBASIC is a completely free, open-source, multi-platform BASIC compiler, with syntax similar to Microsoft QuickBASIC, that adds new features such as pointers, unsigned data types, in-line assembly, object orientation, and many others. Although certainly began as a project that focused on compatibility with QB; it has since evolved into its having its own individual identity. It’s certainly one of the modern BASIC’s to have in your personal tool belt!

FreeBASIC is credited as being created (founded) by Andre Victor T. Vicentini circa 2004. From what I understand, the current lead maintainer primarily responsible for the FreeBASIC project is Jeff Marshall. For a full list of those that have and continue to contribute to the FreeBASIC project, be sure to check out the readme.text included with the installation.

Official Website

• FreeBASIC

Official Discord Server

• FreeBASIC (Discord)

Official Project

• FreeBASIC (GitHub)

IDE

• FBIde
  • FBIde: The “#1 editor for FreeBASIC”.
• Xuisinboy Bekchanov
  • VisualFBEditor - IDE (GitHub)
• Paul Squires
  • FreeBASIC Editor for Windows (GitHub)
• Kuan Hsu
  • PoseidonFB: Forum discussion
• Marcus Germano, IV
  • VSCode: FreeBASIC
  • freebasic-vscode-extension (GitHub): A VSCode extension that adds support for modern versions of FreeBASIC
• Ebben Feagan
  • VSCode: lang-freebasic
  • vscode-freebasic (GitHub): Syntax Coloring for Freebasic in VScode

Tools

• Daniel Klauer
  • fbfrog (GitHub): A command line tool which reads .h file (C API declarations) and generates corresponding .bi file(s) for FreeBASIC.

Libraries

• JayRM
  • JayRM’s FreeBASIC Load Out (GitHub): Prebuilt libraries for Win32/Win64 and source files that can be dropped in to an existing FreeBASIC install. Includes: fbfrog, FBImage, libogg, libvorbis, libmad-0.15.1b, libdumb-0.9.3, libcsidlight, libpng and zlib.
• Luther Ramsey
  • FbRtLib (Github): FreeBASIC Runtime Library written in FreeBASIC.
• Jose Roca
  • Windows Framework (GitHub)
• Johannes Pihl
  • fbList
  • fbTimer
  • fbHashmap
  • fbNetComs
• Xuisinboy Bekchanov
  • MyFbFramework - My FreeBasic Framework (GitHub)
• Paul Squires
  • Windows Form Library (GitHub)
• Batched Files
  • Station992 - Http Server (GitHub)
  • Client library for IRC (GitHub)
• FreeBASIC-Extended-Library
  • fb-ext-lib (GitHub): A set of general purpose and game oriented libraries for FreeBASIC
• Ebben Feagan
  • freebasic-ecs (GitHub): Simple Entity Component System for FreeBASIC
• Daniel Klauer
  • fbbindings (GitHub): Scripts for fbfrog-based FreeBASIC bindings.

Helpful Links

• Converting Microsoft lib (.LIB) to FreeBASIC lib (.dll.a)

Additional Resources

• Compiling FB for DOS
• “Nine” Card Game (GitHub)
• FreeBASIC in Russian (Unofficial)