BASIC Full Form

BASIC full form is Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. The term is considered the most simple & early programming language of high level and is supported by all operating systems. It was developed by John G Kemeny & Thomas E Kurtz at Dartmouth College in 1964. It aims to provide originally designed language for students to use the computers.

What is the Full Form of BASIC?

 As mentioned above the full form of BASIC is  Beginner’s All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. It is a type of interpreted language which does not require machine code before running the language because the interpreter helps in reading the program and implements the instruction one by one. This process not only helps in making the process easier and debug programs but it also makes programming slower than programs that are written in compiled languages. 

BASIC uses the basic fundamental language of programming. The language uses a number of stars in each instruction. All instructions are added between the orders. To use this, computers require costume software which is not easy to adopt or learn for everyone. Now BASIC is replaced by other advanced languages like Python, Java, and C++.

History and Development of BASIC

The Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC full form) was developed in mid-1960 by two professors named John G Kemeny and Thomas E Jurtz at Dartmouth College located in New Hampshire, USA. The professors wanted to create a programming language that can be used by non-computer science students also for their learning and research purposes.

The first version of BASIC was implemented on the GE-225 mainframe computer in 1964. It was a translation language which means that the computer system will execute programs line by line as soon as it is entered, rather than compiling it into machine code. The language became popular among students & researchers in 1967. 

Later they founded their own company named Dartmouth Time Sharing. The company was established for selling different versions of BASIC. During the 19’s BASIC gained popularity, grew and expanded its versions, and included new features and capabilities which include programming functions, graphical interfaces, and programming based on object-oriented. Later Microsoft also developed a version of BASIC known as Visual Basic for Windows which gained popularity during the year 1990, which was also used for building Windows applications. In today's time, the language  is also used to teach fundamentals of programming 

Features of BASIC

Below mentioned are some key features that made BASIC, full form of which is Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, so popular:

• Interpreted: BASIC is an interpretation language which means that the computer performs the program line by line as it is entered without compilation.
• Procedural: BASIC is procedural which means that programs are written in the form of a series that includes instructions that are executed. 
• Interactive: BASIC is an interactive language that allows users to enter required commands and get results immediately.
• Portability: BASIC is also known as a portable language which means that programs written in a program are capable of running on different computers and require minimum modifications.
• Structured Programming: Modern versions of BASIC support the standard operating system which makes them easier and more manageable to create larger and more complex programs.

What are the Principles of BASIC?

Listed below are the principles of BASIC:

• All versions are easy to use and understand
• The BASIC language was used globally 
• Small programs respond fast 
• The language doesn't require computer hardware for running.
• The language was very interactive and user friendly
• BASIC provides clear messages or response
• It provides advanced features which provide an advantage for beginners as it saves time.  

Different Versions of BASIC

• GW-BASIC: The version consists of early versions of the operating system MS-DOS which was used for PCs compatible with IBM. 
• Quick BASIC: The version was released by Microsoft in the year 1980 and included all features such as structured programming & user-defined types.
• Dartmouth BASIC: This was the original version that was developed by Kemeny and Kurtz.
• Visual BASIC: This version was developed for making Windows applications and it also includes graphical interface & some advanced features such as event-driven programming.
• QBASIC: The version includes later versions of MS-DOS which included graphics for the screen and support for sound was created. 
• Power BASIC: The version is recognized as the modern version of BASIC which is used in today’s time also and includes features like 32 & 64 bit, programming oriented with object, and creating support for Windows, Linux, and other OS. 
• Small BASIC: It is a BASIC version that provides a free and open source for BASIC and is designed to provide simple and easy use with the minimum set of commands and functions.
• Dark BASIC: This version is especially for developing 3d games & multimedia applications which support graphics, sound, and networking.
• Just BASIC: This version also provides free and open source just like the small BASIC version and it consists of a built- in editor & compiler.
• Liberty BASIC: This version of BASIC was created for developing applications for Windows which includes features like support applications for COM objects and provides easy integration with different languages used in programming. 

Advantages of BASIC

• The language provides a user-friendly interface 
• The programming language is used for teaching beginners mostly  
• The language is easy and simple to understand
• It provides an integrated and interactive environment 

Disadvantages of BASIC

• The Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC full form) language can’t be moved to another OS easily. 
• For running programs, the system or computer requires Visual Basic to be installed. 
• The language has limited functions.
• BASIC programming language is less efficient as compared to the latest or new programming languages.

 Written By: Deepit Mathur