Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Gambas VS PowerBASIC

Compare Gambas VS PowerBASIC and see what are their differences

Gambas logo Gambas

Gambas is a full-featured object language and development environment built on a BASIC interpreter.

PowerBASIC logo PowerBASIC

PowerBASIC, formerly Turbo Basic, is the brand of several commercial compilers by PowerBASIC Inc.
  • Gambas Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-06-06

Gambas is a Basic language with object extensions. A program written with Gambas is a set of files. Each file describes a class, in terms of object programming. The class files are compiled, then executed by an interpreter. It is very inspired by Java. Gambas is made up of the following programs: * compiler * interpreter * archiver * graphical user interface component * development environment The development environment is written with Gambas itself, to show the abilities of the language. Features - A Gambas project is stored under 1 directory. The archiver transforms the project directory structure in one sole executable file - Compiling a project only requires the compilation of the modified classes. Every external reference of a class is solved dynamically at the execution time - Gambas has a component architecture that allows to extend the language. Anyone can write components as shared libraries that dynamically add new native classes to the interpreter. Components can be written in Gambas. The component architecture is documented in the Wiki encyclopaedia - By default, the Gambas interpreter is a text-only program. The component architecture is used for writing the graphical user interface part of the language - The graphical user interface is implemented as a component, Gambas will be able to be independent of any toolkit! Write a program, and choose the toolkit later : GTK+, Qt4.. - Gambas projects are easily translatable - Its object model is simple but powerful

  • PowerBASIC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-18

Gambas features and specs

  • Visual Basic-Like Syntax
    Gambas uses a syntax very similar to Visual Basic, which makes it easier for developers familiar with VB to learn and adopt Gambas.
  • Rapid Application Development
    Gambas is designed for rapid application development, allowing developers to quickly prototype and create GUI applications using its integrated development environment.
  • Cross-Platform
    Gambas can run on several Unix-like operating systems including Linux, providing opportunities for developing applications across different platforms.
  • Rich Component Library
    It offers a wide range of components for GUI design, database access, and network functionalities, making it versatile for various application needs.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Gambas allows users to view, modify, and enhance the source code, which encourages community involvement and transparency.

Possible disadvantages of Gambas

  • Limited Platform Support
    While Gambas is cross-platform, its primary focus is on Unix-like systems, which limits its use for native Windows and macOS application development.
  • Niche User Base
    Compared to more mainstream languages like Python or Java, Gambas has a smaller community, potentially leading to fewer resources and third-party libraries.
  • Performance Limitations
    Applications developed in Gambas may not match the performance of those written in more low-level languages like C or C++, which can be a limitation for resource-intensive tasks.
  • Less Industry Adoption
    Gambas is not widely adopted in the industry, meaning finding Gambas-related job opportunities or projects may be more challenging.
  • Learning Curve for Non-VB Users
    While it benefits VB users, developers without VB experience might find the syntax and environment of Gambas less intuitive than other modern languages.

PowerBASIC features and specs

  • Performance
    PowerBASIC compiles to highly optimized machine code, resulting in fast and efficient executables with minimal overhead.
  • Compact Executables
    The language is known for creating small and compact executables which are beneficial for performance and memory usage, especially in resource-constrained environments.
  • Legacy Support
    It is well-suited for maintaining and updating legacy BASIC applications, providing continuity for long-standing projects.
  • Low-Level Programming
    PowerBASIC offers direct access to system hardware and memory manipulation, which can be a significant advantage for system programmers.
  • Ease of Use
    The syntax is relatively straightforward, especially for those already familiar with BASIC, reducing the learning curve for new users.

Possible disadvantages of PowerBASIC

  • Limited Modern Features
    PowerBASIC lacks some of the modern programming constructs and libraries that are available in more contemporary programming languages.
  • Platform Limitations
    Primarily designed for Windows, PowerBASIC does not offer native support for other platforms, limiting cross-platform development capabilities.
  • Smaller User Community
    The user community for PowerBASIC is smaller compared to more popular languages, which can lead to fewer resources for support and collaboration.
  • Proprietary Nature
    As a proprietary product, PowerBASIC may involve licensing fees and does not offer the open-source flexibility that some developers prefer.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    The development and release of updates are less frequent compared to more mainstream programming environments, potentially impacting feature availability and bug fixes.

Gambas videos

REVIEW GAMBAS | sumberplastik.co.id

More videos:

  • Review - Gambas al Ajillo Review 3/14/20 @ #SeaWorldSevenSeas #SeaWorldSanDiego
  • Review - Review Software Gambas 2.99 : The Best Visual Basic Alternative

PowerBASIC videos

PowerBasic demos - MSXturboR/GFX9000 - 1994

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Gambas and PowerBASIC)
Programming Language
48 48%
52% 52
IDE
36 36%
64% 64
OOP
62 62%
38% 38
Text Editors
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Gambas seems to be more popular. 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.

Gambas mentions (5)

PowerBASIC mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PowerBASIC yet. Tracking of PowerBASIC recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Gambas and PowerBASIC, you can also consider the following products

Xojo - Real Software and Real Studio are now Xojo.

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

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

FreeBASIC - FreeBASIC is a completely free, open-source, 32-bit BASIC compiler, with syntax similar to...

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

B4J - 100% free development tool for cross platform desktop and server apps.