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Free Pascal VS FreeBASIC

Compare Free Pascal VS FreeBASIC and see what are their differences

Free Pascal logo Free Pascal

Free Pascal (aka FPK Pascal) is a 32 and 64 bit professional Pascal compiler.

FreeBASIC logo FreeBASIC

FreeBASIC is a completely free, open-source, 32-bit BASIC compiler, with syntax similar to...
  • Free Pascal Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-29
  • FreeBASIC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-23

Free Pascal features and specs

  • Cross-platform Compatibility
    Free Pascal supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and more. This allows developers to write code that can be compiled and executed on multiple operating systems without extensive modifications.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source compiler, Free Pascal is freely available for use and modification. This openness encourages community collaboration and continuous improvement of the software.
  • Strong Community Support
    Free Pascal has a dedicated and active community, providing extensive documentation, forums, and user support, which can be invaluable for troubleshooting and learning.
  • Compatibility with Delphi
    The compiler aims to be highly compatible with Delphi, making it easier for Delphi developers to transition their applications to Free Pascal with minimal changes.
  • Rich Set of Libraries
    Free Pascal comes with a comprehensive set of libraries and tools, allowing developers to create a variety of applications, from small utilities to complex software systems.

Possible disadvantages of Free Pascal

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For developers unfamiliar with Pascal, the language and its concepts may present a learning challenge compared to more modern languages such as Python or JavaScript.
  • Limited GUI Toolkit Support
    While Free Pascal does support some GUI toolkits, it may not have as robust or modern GUI options compared to other programming environments, which can be a limitation for developing desktop applications.
  • Less Popular
    Pascal is not as widely used in the programming community as other languages like Java or Python, which can result in fewer third-party tools, libraries, and resources.
  • Performance Overheads
    While Free Pascal is generally efficient, there can be some performance overheads compared with compilers specifically optimized for newer languages and architectures.
  • Limited Modern Language Features
    Free Pascal might lack some of the modern programming features found in newer languages, which can be a disadvantage for developers looking to use the latest paradigms and practices.

FreeBASIC features and specs

  • Open Source
    FreeBASIC is open source, which means users can access the source code, contribute to the project, and customize it according to their needs.
  • BASIC Language Support
    FreeBASIC offers support for the BASIC programming language, attracting programmers who prefer or are familiar with this language, while also providing modern programming capabilities.
  • Cross-Platform
    It supports multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and DOS, which allows developers to write programs that can run on different operating systems without significant changes.
  • Compatibility
    FreeBASIC is compatible with Microsoft QuickBASIC and other older BASIC dialects, making it easier for developers to port legacy BASIC code.
  • Strong Community
    The FreeBASIC community is active, providing forums, documentation, and support that can be beneficial for both beginners and advanced users.

Possible disadvantages of FreeBASIC

  • Limited Library Support
    Compared to more popular languages like Python or C++, FreeBASIC has fewer libraries and third-party resources, which can limit functionality and ease of development.
  • Learning Curve for Beginners
    Although BASIC is traditionally seen as beginner-friendly, some aspects of FreeBASIC, especially its more advanced features, might present a learning curve.
  • Less Market Demand
    There is less market demand for FreeBASIC developers compared to more mainstream languages, which might limit job prospects for those who specialize in it.
  • Manual Memory Management
    FreeBASIC requires manual memory management, which can lead to potential errors like memory leaks if not handled properly, particularly for new programmers.
  • Outdated Perception
    BASIC languages, including FreeBASIC, sometimes suffer from an outdated perception that might lead to skepticism about its use for modern applications.

Free Pascal videos

Tin 8. Bài Thực hành 1: Làm quen với Free pascal.

FreeBASIC videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Free Pascal and FreeBASIC)
Programming Language
49 49%
51% 51
IDE
42 42%
58% 58
Text Editors
45 45%
55% 55
OOP
60 60%
40% 40

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Free Pascal and FreeBASIC

Free Pascal Reviews

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FreeBASIC Reviews

  1. Can Not to Comapre FREEBASIC is a COMPILER NOT AN IDE

    HAS IDE AS FBEdit, FBNP,WINFBE, VisualFB, etc

    🏁 Competitors: Visual Basic
    👍 Pros:    Compiler|32|64|Windows linux mac|Mingw32 and mingw64|Free to use|Binding to c, c++

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, FreeBASIC should be more popular than Free Pascal. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Free Pascal mentions (2)

  • AoC 2015 in multiple languages: Day 3 Pascal
    I used Free Pascal which I was quite impressed with. It supports multiple dialects and many targets. Source: over 3 years ago
  • One Commander – a new Windows 10 file browser
    As a tangent, I found it fascinating that Double Commander is developed with Free Pascal and Lazarus. https://github.com/doublecmd/doublecmd/wiki/Development https://freepascal.org/ https://www.lazarus-ide.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago

FreeBASIC mentions (5)

  • Microsoft's Growing Control of Linux
    Outside of Microsoft created QB64: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QB64 - https://lunduke.substack.com/p/the-wild-events-that-nearly-took Outside of Microsoft created Visual Basic IDE: - http://gambas.sourceforge.net/en/main.html - https://github.com/wekan/hx/tree/main/prototypes/ui/gambas Outside of Microsoft created FreeBasic: - https://freebasic.net. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • qb.js: An implementation of QBASIC in Javascript
    If you have linux or windows, you can try freebasic. I believe it has a qbasic compatibility mode. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: What are your opinions on modern BASIC dialects?
    Have you looked at https://freebasic.net/ and https://www.qb64.org/portal/ ? It's been ages since I actually wrote code in BASIC, but there do appear to be nice open-source options in the modern world. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • How to compile a BASIC code in linux ?
    I used https://freebasic.net/ ages ago. Works fine. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Blank Projects - Then And Now
    And here you can live though that pain again: https://freebasic.net/. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Free Pascal and FreeBASIC, you can also consider the following products

Lazarus - Lazarus is a cross-platform IDE for the Free Pascal compiler.

PureBasic - Fantaisie Software Official WebSite. PureBasic - Feel The Pure Power. PureBasic is a programming language based on established BASIC rules.

Python - Python is a clear and powerful object-oriented programming language, comparable to Perl, Ruby, Scheme, or Java.

Liberty BASIC - Easy Programming for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8 and 10

Rust - A safe, concurrent, practical language

Xojo - Real Software and Real Studio are now Xojo.