Getting Started: About PureBasic
PureBasic started life as a "next generation" version of an old BASIC
on the Amiga computer. Combining speed, small program sizes, ease of use, power
and flexibility were, and still are, some of the main goals of PureBasic. Since
then it has also added cross-platform compatibility with Windows, Linux and Mac OS X
versions available (and the possibility for others). You can compile the
same code on all versions of PureBasic and you will have an application which
will run in the same way on all platforms!
Apart from the feature list which is described in the
main part of the manual, PureBasic is made up from four important parts:
- Compiler: a compiler is a program which reads your source codes and produces
an application which you can run. Since PureBasic uses a compiler the programs
it creates will be lightning fast as each part of your software is translated
directly to language the processor understands (and will not need to translate
for each instruction like some other BASICs).
- Editor: PureBasic comes with a useful editor which has features to help you
learn the language such as syntax highlighting (showing recognised parts of your
source code in different ways) and online help (taking you directly to the description
of a command). You also have full control over all the other parts of the PureBasic
package from the editor, which you could not get from a generic one.
- Debugger: The debugger is a program which runs at the same time as your application
(while you are developing it). It helps you find problems in your application,
allows you to move through the application one source code line at a time,
look at values of parts of your programs and more.
- Libraries: The "PureLibraries" contain ready-made pieces of code
that you can use in your applications, for a wide variety of things from networking
to high speed displays and databases to windows. All libraries are written in
hand-optimised assembly language so they are very fast and compact without
sacrificing flexibility.