Download GW-BASIC for Windows 11, 10 8.1 & Windows 7. This BASIC programming language is known for its simplicity. Numbers on each line help to organize the code, while built-in functions like input, output, mathematical calculations, and string manipulation functions help the programmers complete their programming tasks quickly.
GW-BASIC – Review
Microsoft developed the GW-BASIC in the early 1980s for use with MS-DOS operating systems and IBM PC. GW-Basic went viral in that era. It has a built-in function that allows programmers to write their code effectively, and they can use existing built-in functions for their projects. One more key advantage of GW-BASIC is line numbers support. This allowed programmers to organize code logically into sections, which made it simple and quick for them to jump directly to specific line numbers of their program. It supports multiple data types, the same as advanced programming languages like integers, floating-point numbers, and strings.
That allows programmers to develop more complex code that supports the different types of information. Additionally, this included a code editor, which allows programmers to write and edit code easily. With its simple text-based interface and drag-and-drop functionality, code writing is much easier now. However, It has some disadvantages: it does not support object-oriented programming & programmers are not able to create graphic user interfaces for their applications.
Furthermore, GW-Basic was famous in the early days, and many people learned programming on this. Today, this language is only famous among students because students start learning their programming from this language. You can visit the official website link and read further details about GW-Basic.
GW-BASIC – Features
Let’s discuss the GW-Basic features.
Line numbers
Line numbers help programmers to organize their code and identify code easily from a large amount of code. Line numbers are useful in jump creation for loops to use as a reference for execution. One more benefit of line numbers is to find a particular line of code using debugging and code editing. Furthermore, it supports the “RUN” and “GOTO” commands to promptly jump straight to that code line with one command or jump directly there using the line number as a reference point.
Now, in this era, line number is not a good approach, and it’s not even used in the latest programming languages as well. That’s why now programmers are more focused on functions and object-oriented programming support languages.
Wide range of commands and functions
GW-Basic has many built-in functions and commands that allow programmers to write code more quickly. Input and output functions include commands such as “PRINT” and “INPUT“, which display written text on the screen and accept user input. Mathematical calculations include mathematical functions such as basic arithmetic operations like addition, subtractions, multiplications, etc. String manipulation includes built-in functions for manipulating strings, such as concatenation, substring, and string length.
Moreover, It supports the control commands, which include “GOTO“, “GOSUB“, and “RETURN” It allows programmers to control the program flow while creating loops or subroutines in looped programs. Graphics and Sound built-in functions allow programmers to draw lines and circles and play sound files using coding. Furthermore, this is the basic language, but it also supports file handling commands such as “OPEN“, “CLOSE“, and “PRINT“, which provide functionality for reading and writing to files.
It has System commands that interact with an operating system; for example, “CLS“, which is used to clear the screen. Last but not least, these commands and built-in functions make GW-BASIC a universal programming language. It is robust and suitable for many projects.
Data types
GW-Basic supports multiple data types.
Integer
Integer data type, the values are whole numbers that can be positive or negative, and their range goes from -32768 to 32767.
Float
Floating point values are decimal numbers ranging from -3.4028234663852886E+38 to -1.401298464324817E-45 for negative and positive. These numbers vary between 1.401298464324817E-45 to 3.4028234663852886E+38.
String
String values consist of sequences of characters. Their maximum length is 255 characters. Boolean values can either be TRUE or FALSE. And finally, Arrays contain multiple values from one data type within an array. One-dimensional arrays support various data types.
GW-BASIC does not support these data types: long integers, double precision floating point numbers, or objects; it does allow programmers to check the type variable.
Built-in editor
Built-in editors allow programmers to write programs on the editor. Programmers can paste the code directly on this built-in editor. Moreover, it allows the mouse actions, insert, update, and delete text actions, and text search. It has a command-line interface for saving or loading programs; users can use the “RUN” command. GW-BASIC’s built-in editor doesn’t have advanced features like syntax highlighting, code completion, or debugging support. It is an early 1980s language, so it may not be suitable for larger, more complex projects. It is only recommended for educational purposes and for learning basic programming concepts.
Support for subroutines and loops
GW-Basic supports subroutines and loops.
Subroutines
A subroutine is a block of code that can be called multiple times from different parts of a program. Programmers can define subroutines using the “DEF” statement, which allows them to split code into chunks. It will enhance code readability and maintainability.
Loops
Programmers can create loops using these statements “FOR-NEXT“, “WHILE-WEND“, and “DO-LOOP“. Loops enable a program to execute a code block repeatedly while a specific condition is true. It allows for the efficient execution of repetitive tasks, which is good for writing complex code.
Branches
Branching constructs like “IF-THEN-ELSE” and “SELECT-CASE” enable users to easily make conditional statements and decisions based on values.
Compatibility with MS-DOS
Microsoft DOS was the famous operating system for personal computers developed by Microsoft Inc. It was a command-line operating system. Business applications, educational applications, and game development get great benefits from GW-Basic, and all applications can easily deploy and run on any machine that has an MS-DOS. Programmers can access the hardware devices and peripherals, such as printers, serial/parallel ports, and graphics adapters, easily by using built-in functions.
Game programming
GW-BASIC is famous for game programming due to its simplicity. Programmers can use the built-in function to develop basic-level games.
Graphics commands
Built-in graphics commands include LINE, CIRCLE, and PAINT, which can be used to create graphical elements for games.
Input/Output commands
INPUT, PRINT, and LOCATE are just a few of the commands provided to facilitate the development of interactive games and user interfaces by taking input from the keyboard and displaying the results on the screen.
Sound commands
It has some built-in sound commands, which can be used to add sound effects and music. The most popular sound commands are “SOUND” and “BEEP“.
Loops and subroutines
It includes FOR–NEXT, WHILE-WEND, and DO-LOOP to facilitate the game developers.
Download GW-BASIC for Windows
