Is Visual Basic Still Used in 2025? Analysis and Guide to C# Migration

Is Visual Basic Still Used in 2025?

Visual Basic (VB) was once one of Microsoft's most popular programming languages, particularly Visual Basic 6 (VB6) and later Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET). However, the language's position in the software industry has changed significantly over time. This article analyzes the current state of Visual Basic usage, why many organizations still maintain VB-based legacy systems, and provides detailed guidance for effectively migrating from Visual Basic to C#.

History of Visual Basic Development

From Visual Basic 6 to Visual Basic .NET

Visual Basic was introduced in 1991 and quickly became a popular development tool due to its visual programming interface and accessible language. VB6, released in 1998, became one of the most widely used versions, with millions of applications developed on this platform.

A major transition occurred in 2002 when Microsoft released Visual Basic .NET, a completely redesigned version to work on the .NET Framework. This change created a significant compatibility break, forcing many developers to face a difficult decision: upgrade to VB.NET or switch to another language like C#.

Current Status of Visual Basic

Currently, Microsoft still maintains Visual Basic .NET as part of the .NET platform, but the language no longer receives the same level of development investment as before. According to Microsoft's official announcement in 2020, VB.NET has moved to a "stable and supported" state, meaning the language will not receive significant new features but will be maintained to ensure compatibility for existing applications.

Is Visual Basic Still Used in Practice?

In Legacy Systems

Despite no longer being the first choice for new projects, Visual Basic remains strongly present in many organizations, especially large enterprises and government agencies. According to a recent survey, approximately 15-20% of enterprise applications still run on Visual Basic 6 or VB.NET platforms, particularly in:

Banking and Finance: Many core banking systems and accounting software developed in the 1990s and 2000s still use VB6
Manufacturing and Industry: Process control software and factory management systems
Healthcare: Hospital management systems and medical record software
Government: Internal information systems and administrative management applications

Main reasons why these systems still exist:

High Migration Costs: Completely rewriting an enterprise system requires significant investment in time and resources
Business Risk: Legacy systems have been proven over time, and replacement could cause business disruption
Lack of Documentation: Many old systems lack complete documentation, making code understanding and restructuring difficult
Scarce Specialized Skills: Experts knowledgeable in both old and new technologies are not always readily available

In New Projects

For completely new development projects, Visual Basic is rarely chosen as the primary language. According to data from the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024, VB.NET is used by only about 2-3% of developers, while C# is used by approximately 30-35%.

Reasons why Visual Basic is less chosen for new projects:

Slow Development: VB.NET no longer receives significant new features
Smaller Community: Less documentation, libraries, and support compared to C# or other popular languages
Limited Career Opportunities: Job market demand for VB.NET skills is much lower than C#
Technology Trends: C# integrates better with new technologies like AI, cloud computing, and cross-platform development

Challenges in Maintaining Visual Basic Legacy Systems

Microsoft Support

Although Microsoft has committed to supporting VB.NET in the future, the level of support has decreased significantly compared to C#. VB6 officially ended support in 2008, although the runtime is still supported on Windows 10 and Windows 11. However, this support may not last forever.

Issues arising from lack of support:

Security Vulnerabilities: No patches for newly discovered vulnerabilities
Hardware/Software Compatibility: New systems may not be compatible with old VB code
Performance: Not optimized for modern hardware

Lack of Skilled Personnel

One of the biggest challenges for organizations maintaining Visual Basic legacy systems is finding skilled personnel. The number of VB programmers is decreasing, and many have moved to other languages.

According to statistics from major job sites, the number of job positions for Visual Basic programmers is only about 5-10% compared to C#. This creates a difficult situation when:

Experienced VB programmers retire
Cost of hiring VB experts increases due to limited supply
Difficulty finding young personnel willing to learn and work with old technology

Technical Limitations

Visual Basic, especially VB6, has many technical limitations when compared to modern languages:

Incomplete Object-Oriented Programming Support (especially in VB6)
Limited Scalability as applications grow larger
Difficult Integration with new technologies like cloud, containers, and microservices
Lower Performance compared to modern compiled languages

Why Migrate from Visual Basic to C#?

Migrating from Visual Basic to C# brings significant benefits:

Active Development of C#

C# is the language that receives the strongest development investment from Microsoft in the .NET ecosystem. The language regularly receives new features through annual updates. Modern features such as:

Nullable reference types to reduce null errors
Pattern matching for more concise, readable code
Records and init-only properties to simplify working with immutable data
Top-level statements to reduce boilerplate code

Strong Community

C# has a large, active community with extensive support resources:

Millions of questions and answers on Stack Overflow
Thousands of open-source libraries on GitHub and NuGet
Numerous online courses, books, and tutorials
Active events, conferences, and user groups worldwide

Future of .NET

Microsoft has chosen C# as the primary language for the future of the .NET platform:

.NET 6/7/8 and future versions focus on developing features for C# first
Blazor, MAUI, and other modern frameworks are built with C# as the focus
Azure Functions and other cloud services have best support for C#

Adaptability to New Technology Trends

C# is continuously updated to meet new technology trends:

Machine Learning with ML.NET
Cloud-native development with container and microservices support
Cross-platform development for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android
Game development with Unity and other engines

Migration Guide

For detailed information about the migration process from Visual Basic to C#, including strategies, tools, and specific examples, please refer to the article Detailed Guide for Migrating from Visual Basic to C#.

Conclusion

Visual Basic, while no longer the first choice for new projects, continues to exist in many important legacy systems. This existence creates both challenges and opportunities for organizations looking to modernize their IT infrastructure.

Migrating from Visual Basic to C# is a strategic decision that brings long-term benefits: access to new features, strong community support, and ensuring application future. However, the migration process requires careful planning, adequate resources, and appropriate approach.

With the support of automated tools and suitable migration strategies, organizations can successfully execute the migration process, minimize risks, and ensure business continuity. Ultimately, moving to C# is not just a technical issue but an important step to ensure competitiveness and innovation in the digital age.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does Microsoft plan to completely stop supporting Visual Basic?

Microsoft has committed to continuing support for VB.NET in the near future, but the language has moved to a "stable" state and will not receive significant new features. For VB6, the runtime is still supported on the latest Windows, but the IDE and tools have long been discontinued.

2. Can Visual Basic and C# be used in the same project?

Yes, in a .NET project, you can create different assemblies using different languages and reference them to each other. This is often a useful strategy during gradual migration.

3. What is the cost of migrating from Visual Basic to C#?

Migration costs depend on many factors: application size and complexity, chosen migration strategy, and desired optimization level. Small projects can be completed in weeks, while complex enterprise systems may take from 6 months to over a year.

4. Should all Visual Basic applications be migrated to C#?

Not necessarily. For some stable legacy applications, the cost-benefit of migration may not be justified, especially if the application will be phased out in the near future. Each case should be evaluated individually based on business value, expected lifespan, and other strategic factors.

5. Are Visual Basic skills still valuable in the job market?

Although demand for Visual Basic skills has decreased significantly, there is still a niche market for experts who can maintain and develop legacy systems. However, to increase long-term job opportunities, VB programmers should invest time in learning C# and other modern technologies.

Is Visual Basic Still Used in 2025? Analysis and Guide to C# Migration