'Visual' Basic first appeared in 1991 - it is called 'visual' because some of the 'programming' can be done by drawing rather than by writing code.

In 2001 a new family of Visual Basic versions came into being: VB.NET. This new family is not compatible with the previous versions 1-6, but the '6 steps' in making a program are essentially the same for both families.

Visual Basic is a 'high level' programming language meaning it is a lot like English and less like the language that the computer uses internally, called machine code. An example of a 'lower level' language is the language called C - since C is closer to machine code it is harder to write but can sometimes be more efficient. Visual Basic used to be slower than C but it has improved so much that there is no longer much difference in speed. Recently another language has become popular, called Java. Java has the advantage that programs written in Java can run on different types of computer (e.g. PCs and Macs) with little or no modification.

The basic steps in the creation of a Visual Basic program are these:

1. define the problem and plan the solution
2. add the controls to the form(s)
3. set the properties for the controls
4. write the code (the instructions that make up the program)
5. test and debug the program
6. prepare the debugged program for distribution, then distribute it to the millions of clients who have been eagerly waiting for you to finish your amazing new program.

Follow the links at the top of this page for more on these various steps. It is rather unfortunate that step 4, the writing of code, does not come earlier, for the code is the heart of any program and the design of the interface should follow the workings of the code, rather than the other way around. That is why it is important not to rush the first step - it is a common mistake to rush straight into the creation of the controls without having a clear idea how the program will work. Also, you will soon realize that writing code is harder than creating controls, so there will be a temptation for you to spend too much time making a nice-looking form while spending too little time working on the code. That would be like building a car that looks beautiful on the outside but doesn't actually go anywhere for it has no engine!

When you start Visual Basic, you will see a complex collection of windows like those below. Your VB window will much larger than this however - I am showing only a small window that fits more easily on this page. Let's look at each part one by one.

At the top of the screen are the menus and the toolbar:

The Form Window is central to developing Visual Basic applications.  This is where you assemble your application:

The Toolbox is the selection menu for controls used in your application:

Initially you will probably find that the Toolbox only appears when you move your pointer over the 'Toolbox' tab on the left edge of the VB window but since we will be making only small forms initially you might as well 'pin' the Toolbox in its visible state by clicking the 'pin' icon . Don't confuse the toolbox at the left with the toolbar at the top!

The Properties Window is used to establish initial property values for objects. The drop-down box at the top of the window lists all objects in the current form. Two views are available:  Alphabetic and Categorized. Alphabetic is shown in this view - you can see that the AZ button is selected. Under this box are the available properties for the currently selected object, and their current values. Values can be changed by typing in new values. At the very bottom is a panel which displays a brief description of the selected property.

The Solution Explorer displays a list of all forms and modules making up your application.  You can also use the Solution Explorer to display the Form or Code windows (window containing the actual Basic coding) using the icons at the top.

The Error List or Task List panel appears at the bottom of the VB window. We will take a closer look at this window later.

The Code Window opens whenever you double-click a form or any control within a form. You can also open the code window by clicking the corresponding icon in the Solution Explorer window.