# freebasic/fbc

FreeBASIC is a completely free, open-source, multi-platform BASIC compiler, with syntax similar to MS-QuickBASIC, that adds new features such as pointers, object orientation, unsigned data types, inline assembly, and many others.

Repository: https://github.com/freebasic/fbc
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/fbc
Homepage: https://www.freebasic.net
Language: FreeBASIC
License Family: other
Topics: freebasic, quickbasic
Last push: 2026-04-05T14:41:57+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 57/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 75, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 5455, "days_push": 150, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_license, no_readme
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1105, forks 168 (observed 2026-08-28T04:03:36.385031+00:00)

## What it is
FreeBASIC (fbc) is a free, open-source, self-hosting multi-platform BASIC compiler with syntax similar to MS-QuickBASIC, adding modern features like pointers, OOP, and inline assembly. It uses GNU binutils as a backend and can produce console and GUI executables as well as static and dynamic libraries, with support for calling C libraries.

## Use cases
- compile quickbasic programs on modern systems
- learn programming with a basic compiler
- port legacy dos basic code to windows and linux
- build console and gui apps in basic
- call c libraries from basic code
- write games with a simple graphics library

## When to choose
- you have legacy QuickBASIC/QB code you want to compile and run unchanged
- you want a free, lightweight BASIC compiler for Windows, Linux, or DOS
- you need C library interop from a BASIC language
- you prefer a simple, case-insensitive language close to classic Microsoft BASIC

## When to avoid
- you need a modern mainstream language with a large ecosystem and package management
- you require first-class support for platforms beyond x86 Windows/Linux/DOS/Xbox
- you need advanced tooling like IDE integration, refactoring, or async concurrency
- your project depends on full C++ library support, which is only partial

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: active
- function: compiler, programming-language, cli, graphics
- domain: programming-languages, compilers, developer-tools, cross-platform
- platform: windows, cross-platform, cli
- tags: basic, quickbasic, self-hosting, gnu-binutils, c-bindings, retro-computing, linux, dos

## Member repositories
- freebasic/fbc (main) score 57

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:03:36.385031+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T08:22:59.333671+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - homepage: https://www.freebasic.net (fetched 2026-08-29T12:47:49.242405+00:00, sha a5e8c3ded7f6)
  - site_page: https://www.freebasic.net/about.html (fetched 2026-08-29T12:47:49.253223+00:00, sha 2b71ef68eea8)
  - site_page: https://www.freebasic.net/wiki/wikka.php?wakka=DocToc (fetched 2026-08-29T12:47:49.251471+00:00, sha b87ea24d997b)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.