List of BASIC dialects by platform

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List of BASIC dialects by platform: This is a list of dialects of the BASIC computer programming language, sorted into groups for better conceptual organization.

There is also an alphabetical list of BASIC dialects. These two lists should contain the same information. However, accidental differences may arise, so if you are looking for something, check both lists.

About these groupings: Some BASIC dialects group nicely by the platform (operating system and/or computer architecture) they are targeted for. Some BASICs group nicely by some other category, rather than a particular platforms. Other dialects are notable for being explicitly engineered to be cross-platform. Finally, some BASIC dialects do not fit into any of these groups -- mostly one-to-one dialect/platform pairs.

Contents

[edit] Platforms

[edit] Acorn

  • BBC BASIC was developed in 1981 as a native programming language for the MOS Technology 6502 based Acorn BBC Micro home/personal computer, mainly by Roger Wilson. It was a BASIC adapted for a U.K. computer literacy project of the BBC. The language was ported to many other processors and platforms including the RM Nimbus. A version for Windows is now available. It is possibly one of the most accessible and flexible BASIC variants via including many low-level commands in all dialects of the language.

[edit] Amstrad

[edit] Apple I, II, III

  • Apple Business BASIC — the standard Apple III BASIC
  • Applesoft BASIC — the standard BASIC for the Apple II series except the original-model Apple II. Based on the same Microsoft code that Commodore BASIC was based on. Available on floppy or cassette on the original-model Apple II; built into ROM on the Apple II Plus, Apple II Europlus, and all later Apple II series computers.
  • Integer BASIC — Steve Wozniak's own creation and the standard BASIC for the Apple I and original-model Apple II. Originally known simply as "Apple BASIC". For the BASICs available at the time, it was very fast and memory-efficient. Only supported 16-bit integer numbers. Came as standard on cassette with the Apple I; built into ROM on the original Apple II; and available on floppy on later Apple II series computers for legacy use.
  • MD-Basic — Morgan Davis devised this compiler for his Pro-line BBS system (a Unix shell work-alike) and released it publicly with a set of utilities. MD-Basic could compile Applesoft for more speed and efficiency or BASIC could be written to it native.

[edit] Apple Macintosh

[edit] Atari 8-bit (400/800/XL/XE/etc)

[edit] Atari TOS

  • FaST Basic
  • ST BASIC — The BASIC that came with the Atari ST, interpreter only.
  • GFA BASIC - Popular alternative to ST Basic, interpreter and compiler.
  • LDW-BASIC - early compiler for Atari ST.
  • Omikron BASIC - A dialect that was popular in the German Atari market; interpreter and compiler.
  • Hi-Soft Basic - dialect that was mostly compatible with Microsoft GW-BASIC, and backward compatible with ST BASIC source code. Compiler only.
  • STOS BASIC version for the Atari ST, for game programming. Predecessor of AMOS BASIC on the Amiga and "grandparent" to the Klik & Play series of authoring tools; interpreter and compiler.

[edit] Browsers

[edit] Commodore Amiga

  • ABasiC — Relatively limited. Initially provided with Amigas by MetaComCo.
  • ACE (Amiga) — A Compiler for Everyone — A freeware compiler that is AmigaBASIC compatible and contains extra features, some of which exploit the Amiga's hardware and operating system.[6][7]
  • AmigaBASIC — Somewhat easier than ABasiC, see MS BASIC for Macintosh.
  • AMOS BASIC — version for the Amiga, for game programming. A descendant of STOS BASIC on the Atari ST. Later derivatives included AMOS Professional (aka AMOS Pro) and Easy AMOS.

[edit] Commodore 8-bit (VIC-20/C64/etc)

  • Commodore BASIC (aka CBM BASIC) — Was integrated in the ROM of CBM's 8-bit computers. Built on an early version of 6502 Microsoft BASIC. There were several versions – the most well known was Commodore Basic V2, used most prominently on the VIC-20 and the Commodore 64.
  • geoBASIC — for use with GEOS
  • Blitz Basic Compiler System considered a very FAST compiler
  • Oxford Basic professional compiler

[edit] Commodore BASIC extensions

  • BASIC 8.0 — Third-party extension of the Commodore 128's CBM BASIC 7.0
  • Exbasic Level II — Extended BASIC. An improved BASIC for the C64, which was loaded from disk or cartridge.
  • Graphics BASIC — Third-party extension of CBM BASIC 2.0 on the C64.
  • Laser Basic — Third-party extension of CBM BASIC 2.0 on the C64.
  • Simons' BASIC — CBM-marketed improved BASIC for the C64, loaded from disk or cartridge
  • Super Expander — CBM's own cartridge based extension of CBM BASIC 2.0 on the VIC-20.
  • Super Expander 64 — Ditto, for the C64.
  • Warsaw Basic — Very advanced basic extension with local variables, procedures, overlays, allowing the user to use RAM hidden under ROM and many more. As the name suggests it was created and almost exclusively used in Poland.

[edit] CP/M

  • BASIC-E (aka submarine BASIC) (CP/M)
  • CBASIC — By Digital Research
  • MBASIC — Further development of OBASIC, also by Microsoft. MBasic was one of the BASICs developed by Microsoft. Came with a line editor), that for example ran under CP/M.
  • OBASIC — By Microsoft.

[edit] Cybiko

  • Cybasic — very simple interpretter, no graphics
  • Cybiko B2C — converts BASIC to C for compilation. Graphics, sound, RF

[edit] Dartmouth Time Sharing System

  • BASIC - the original BASIC

[edit] Galaksija

[edit] IBM VM/CMS, MVS/TSO, RPS and CPS

[edit] IBM Midrange Systems

[edit] J2ME (Java-Enabled Mobile Phones)

  • CellularBASIC J2ME Open source on-phone mobile interpreter for Java-enabled handhelds, mobile smartphones, and PDAs

[edit] Microsoft DOS and clones

  • ASIC
  • BASICA — (aka BASIC Advanced, Advanced BASIC) — Available in ROM on IBM PCs. Later disk based versions for PC-DOS.
  • FreeBASIC QuickBasic clone that can compile in DOS, Windows, and Linux.
  • GBasic — interpreter with many graphics routines.
  • GW-BASIC — BASICA compatible; independent of IBM ROM routines. Came with versions of MS-DOS before 5.0
  • IBM Cassette BASIC — Built in to the first IBM PCs. Ran independently of DOS and used audio cassettes as a storage medium.
  • Moonrock Basic Compiler — Small Compiler.
  • MOLE Basic — Merty's Own Language Extension BASIC.
  • PowerBASIC Borland decided to discontinue Turbo Basic, and Bob Zale, the author started selling directly to the public.
  • Professional Development System QuickBasic variant with improved compiler
  • QBasic — Came with versions of MS-DOS from 5.0 to 6.22.
  • QuickBasic — Extended QBasic variant (to be more precise, QBasic is a reduced QuickBasic) . Was the commercial version of Qbasic. Came with a compiler.
  • Revelation BASIC (DOS)
  • Turbo Basic commercial compiler for DOS by Borland. (BASIC/Z successor) (see PowerBASIC)
  • UBASIC — interpreter with many mathematical routines. Strong emphasis on number theory. Can work with many-digit numbers, complex numbers.
  • Visual Basic DOS and Visual Basic DOS Professional were QuickBasic 4.5/PDS7.1 modified to produce DOS windows. A far more powerful compiler than any of the VB Windows variants up to version 4.
  • ZBasic was first released by Zedcor (Tucson, AZ) in mid 1985. Versions were made for DOS, Apple, Macintosh CP/M and TRS-80 computers. In 1991, 32 Bit Software Inc. (Dallas, TX) bought the DOS version and expanded it. Zedcor concentrated on the Apple Mac market and rename it Future Basic. ZBasic was very fast, efficient and advanced.

[edit] Microsoft Windows

[edit] MSX systems

Since MSX BASIC was meant to be expandable from inception, it was possible to write add-on modules quite easily. Support for specific hardware was commonly added by means of expansion cartridges, which also served as the interface to the hardware in question. MSX Disk-BASIC is an example, bundled in the cartridge that provides the hardware interface to the disk drives, it adds commands to access the floppy disk drives.

[edit] Newton OS 1.x/2.x

  • NS Basic for Newton — A special full version that also included special extensions for the Newton OS, including, but not limited to handwriting recognition and touch screen interface. Commercial product which is still somewhat supported and for sale in mail order edition only for $99.95. (Even through the company's site says the retail version is available, it isn't and one can get only an email with the product and the handbook mailed sent.)

[edit] Palm OS

  • On-board interpreters and compilers
    • HotPaw Basic[12] (aka yBasic, nee cbasPad Pro) — interpreter with GUI and sound functions. Shareware, $18.95 (as for December 11, 2005)[13]
      • cBasPad — small interpreter by the same author. Freeware.
        • cBasPad5 — cBasPad version for Palm OS 5 and above. Freeware.
    • iziBasic[14] — an easy-to-use compiler that runs on the Palm OS device and produces stand-alone applications. Includes terminal mode and support for Palm OS GUI. Shareware, $25 (as for December 11, 2005).
      • tinyBasic — small interpreter by the same author. Freeware with source.
    • SmallBASIC[15] — interpreter for Palm OS and other patforms. Can do "scripts" which look and can be launched like applications. Free software with source. Great for beginners to experts. (go to http://smallbasic.sourceforge.net/ to download and check out other people's programs)
    • Palm Basic[16] — interpreter for Palm OS. Freeware.
    • PicoBASIC Integer[17] — interpreter for Palm OS. Freeware. For some reason, it is not available at the author's site, but can be easily found with google.
  • Cross-compilers
    • NS Basic — IDE and Bytecode-interpreter. Commercial, $154.95 (as for December 11, 2005).
    • HB++[18] — IDE and compiler. Commercial, starts from Euro 140.
    • AppForge[19] allows Visual Basic and Visual Basic .NET to cross-compile applications for Palm OS, Windows Mobile, RIM BlackBerry, and Symbian OS.

[edit] Sinclair computers, derivatives, and clones

[edit] SORD computers

  • APU BASIC version of CBASIC for computers with the arithmetic processor (APU)
  • BASIC-68K structured BASIC for the M68/M68MX running in 68000 mode under CP/M-68K
  • BASIC-II structured BASIC for 8-bit computers (M23, M68 in Z80 mode, etc)
  • CBASIC standard interpreter for 8-bit computers, also known as APU BASIC when the arithmetic processor is installed
  • G-BASIC version of CBASIC with SORD Graphic Language extensions for the M23 with graphics board, M68/M68MX in Z80 mode, etc

[edit] Symbian OS phones and PDAs

[edit] Texas Instruments

[edit] TRS-80 Models I/III/IV

[edit] TRS-80 Color Computers

[edit] Unix / Linux

BASIC dialects for Unix, Linux, and other Unix-like platforms:

[edit] Categories

[edit] DEC derived

BASIC dialects which originated at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), or are derived from same:

Since the assets of the old DEC are now owned by HP, see also #HP derived.

[edit] Embedded devices / microcontrollers

There are two different ways to license commercial compilers on microcontrollers, either to sell a compiler that works with any of a range of cheap chips, or to give away a compiler that only works with the vendor's more elaborate controller board.

  • "Pay up front" compilers
    • PIC BASIC — For Microchip PIC microcontrollers
    • Bascom — For Atmel AVRs and the multivendor 8051 chip
    • and something for the other MCU vendors, Hitachi, Rabbit, Zilog, ...
  • "Pay per chip" compilers
  • There are also open source compilers available:

[edit] Embedded inside other software

[edit] HP derived

BASIC dialects which originated at Hewlett-Packard (HP), or are derived from same:

Since HP now owns the assets of the old DEC, see also #DEC derived

[edit] Scripting languages based on BASIC

[edit] Video game consoles

[edit] Multiple platforms

Some BASIC dialects explicitly target multiple platforms:

[edit] Miscellaneous dialects

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^  CocoaBasic - an Interactive software Development Environment for mixing Cocoa and Basic. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  2. ^  Staz Software. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  3. ^  TNT Basic Online. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  4. ^  8-Bit Product Reviews: BASIC XL, BASIC XE / programming / commercial. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  5. ^  8-Bit Product Reviews: BASIC XL, BASIC XE / programming / commercial (See above). Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  6. ^  Projects. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  7. ^  ACE: A Compiler for Everyone. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  8. ^  CoolBasic Home - the ultimate game programming language. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  9. ^  CoolProducts forums -. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  10. ^  http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolbasic. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  11. ^  Make games with ethosBasic!. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  12. ^  Bas - BASIC interpreter. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  13. ^  HotPaw Software for Palm OS. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  14. ^  HotPaw Software for Palm OS. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  15. ^  iziBasic for Palm OS / aldweb Site. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  16. ^  SmallBASIC - Cross-platform Free BASIC. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  17. ^  Homepage of Palm Basic. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  18. ^  picoBASIC Integer. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  19. ^  Handheld Basic - The best development environment for Palm Powered handhelds. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  20. ^  Use industry standard tools and languages to develop mobile and wireless applications. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  21. ^  FBSL : Free Basic Script Language ( introduction ). Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  22. ^  http://devster.retrodev.com/sega/basiegaxorz/. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  23. ^  BBCBasic - MDFS::Software.$.BBCBasic. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  24. ^  http://users.argonet.co.uk/users/dave_daniels/. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  25. ^  http://www.geocities.com/blunt_axe_basic/. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  26. ^  http://www.all4you.dk/FreewareWorld/links.php?id=17902. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  27. ^  KoolB - Brian Becker's Projects. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  28. ^  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASICODE. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  29. ^  http://search.cpan.org/src/ABERGMAN/ponie-2/parrot/languages/BASIC/compiler/BASIC_README. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
  30. ^  OWBasic. Retrieved on 2005-12-18.
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