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PowerBASIC VS Nim (programming language)

Compare PowerBASIC VS Nim (programming language) and see what are their differences

PowerBASIC logo PowerBASIC

PowerBASIC, formerly Turbo Basic, is the brand of several commercial compilers by PowerBASIC Inc.

Nim (programming language) logo Nim (programming language)

The Nim programming language is a concise, fast programming language that compiles to C, C++ and JavaScript.
  • PowerBASIC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-18
  • Nim (programming language) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-31

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.

Nim (programming language) features and specs

  • Performance
    Nim compiles to C, C++, or JavaScript, which can offer performance close to languages like C and C++. This makes it suitable for high-performance applications.
  • Expressive Syntax
    Nim offers a clean and expressive syntax that is inspired by Python, making it relatively easy to write and read code, which can speed up development.
  • Metaprogramming
    Nim supports powerful metaprogramming features such as macros and templates, which allow for more flexible and reusable code.
  • Memory Management
    Nim gives developers control over memory management while also providing an efficient garbage collector, effectively balancing manual and automatic memory management.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Nim can compile code for various platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as the web through JavaScript.
  • Interoperability
    Nim has excellent interoperability with C and C++ code, making it easier to incorporate existing libraries and gain performance benefits.

Possible disadvantages of Nim (programming language)

  • Smaller Community
    Compared to more established languages like Python or JavaScript, Nim has a smaller community, which can lead to fewer resources, libraries, and third-party support.
  • Ecosystem Maturity
    While Nim is growing, its ecosystem is not as mature as some other languages. This can mean fewer libraries, tools, and frameworks for various tasks.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its expressive syntax, Nim has unique features and paradigms that can present a learning curve for new developers, especially those coming from more mainstream languages.
  • Less Corporate Backing
    Nim does not have as much corporate support or adoption compared to other languages like Go or Rust, which could influence its long-term viability and industry adoption.
  • Compiler Bugs
    As a relatively young language, Nim's compiler may still have some bugs or less polished features compared to more established languages.

PowerBASIC videos

PowerBasic demos - MSXturboR/GFX9000 - 1994

Nim (programming language) videos

No Nim (programming language) videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PowerBASIC and Nim (programming language))
Programming Language
13 13%
87% 87
IDE
100 100%
0% 0
Generic Programming Language
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nim (programming language) seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 149 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.

PowerBASIC mentions (0)

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

Nim (programming language) mentions (149)

  • I built a hardware processor that runs Python
    > I'm interested to see whether the final feature set will be larger than what you'd get by creating a type-safe language with a pythonic syntax and compiling that to native, rather than building custom hardware. It almost sounds like you're asking for Nim ( https://nim-lang.org/ ); and there are some projects using it for microcontroller programming, since it compiles down to C (for ESP32, last I saw). - Source: Hacker News / 7 days ago
  • Is Rust a good fit for business apps?
    I think Nim might be a good candidate. https://nim-lang.org. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • A 10x Faster TypeScript
    It’s not popular compared to Go/Rust, but many find Nim scratches that itch: https://nim-lang.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Transfinite Nim
    FWIW, Nim (the programming language) is certainly interesting and possibly underrated. https://nim-lang.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • State of Python 3.13 Performance: Free-Threading
    If not, Nim is probably the closest most 'Python-like' language that is almost as fast as C. https://nim-lang.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing PowerBASIC and Nim (programming language), you can also consider the following products

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

Crystal (programming language) - Programming language with Ruby-like syntax that compiles to efficient native code.

Xojo - Real Software and Real Studio are now Xojo.

V (programming language) - Simple, fast, safe, compiled language for developing maintainable software.

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

Go Programming Language - Go, also called golang, is a programming language initially developed at Google in 2007 by Robert...