PureBasic Forums - English

Hello everybody,

a question I keep asking myself: is PureBasic ‘dead’?

No, I am not a ‘hater’ and I really like PB.

But if you look at the current development of software, most of it runs in a) the browser and b) has AI connected somehow.

PB's image functions are cool, for example, but of course PB can't keep up with AI graphics books, even if you use DLL files.

There were always problems with customers with a PB desktop exe because it was blocked by the virus scanner, I wasn't allowed to simply install my exe and always had to ask the in-house admin for help (which is of course annoying if you deliver a lot of updates). Or people always wanted to access the application, even with smartphones... which is why a browser-based app was the only option...

I've mostly only programmed "small" tools anyway, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Cheers
PHP

PHP wrote: Fri Aug 29, 2025 2:28 pm Is PureBasic dead?

No.

Is the same than asking if C, C# or C++ are dead, no it's their are not.

Fred has spoken, thread can be closed.

Hi

It is definitely not dead and very useful. If you want web based applications you can choose SpiderBasic or you can use PB with https://webui.me which is what I have done with some projects.

Simon

It's only dead, when we die.

I can't be considered to be a long time pb user, but for me, those you mentioned are the strengths of Pb. It does not run in a browser, not ai connected, no .net, very fast prototyping, can be used for tools and games alike in a very short amount of time. (compared to c or c++ or anything.) Of course, it has it's limits.

Even web based or smartphone applications usually need a server backend which of course can be written in Purebasic, even if it lacks a lot of features but other languages also need their external libraries.

For the windows warnings and scanners:

Use th 64bit compiler a and sign your executables.
If you sell your applications, you should have the money for codesigning.

If you want a web looking app, use PB and websockets to communicate with a web framework of your choice in a WebViewGadget.
No server needed use file:// as url.

WebSocket on localhost don't need to be secured (up to now)

An example:

https://www.smart-sip-phone.de/softphone-en.html

You can visit the Mac App Store, Microsoft Store and Snap Store to see the look on the different OSs

PHP wrote: Fri Aug 29, 2025 2:28 pm if you look at the current development of software, most of it runs in a) the browser and b) has AI connected somehow.

PB is actually well positioned for AI, cloud and edge in my opinion.

If you were asked today to write an MCP server what would you write it in?
how would you deploy it?
If I didn't know I could do it in PB in around 100 lines of user code, I'd probably look to something like rust.

TLS server, Reverse Proxy, HttpsRequest, JSON, SQL, local instance of Ollama, faise if I need vector
only things missing are JWT and Oauth2 though there are probably implementations of those around.

So no PB isn't dead but the forum seems to be a little dead on user engagement, though that's another matter, how do we get people talking, sharing and collaborating?

idle wrote: Sat Aug 30, 2025 12:56 am [...] but the forum seems to be a little dead on user engagement, though that's another matter, how do we get people talking, sharing and collaborating?

Agreed.

Ha! Definitely not dead.
It's the best kept secret for rad development on Windows. I have no exposure on Linux/Mac, but assume it's only slightly less fluid.
If you have customers, they should not blink when asking to whitelist your app.

The forum activity could mean more users are busy making software?

I would love to see more colaboration on std libs. Open source them and grow the community.

skywalk wrote: Sat Aug 30, 2025 1:15 am I would love to see more collaboration on std libs. Open source them and grow the community.

This could be achieved in PB directly with a few minor fixes.

Add std c headers to a sub directory in compilers that are compatible with the pb gcc implementation
set the directory on the command line
move !#include <stdio.h> ... out of main so it won't try and compile it.
add additional command line params for gcc

Then we can build a c lib include the c header directly with inline c and wrap it using pb functions and incline c body and either share as module or create a user lib from it. It's flexible and easy to do.

open sourcing the PB libs probably isn't so straight forward.

Spanning more than 25 years, PureBasic is one of the longest-supported commercial development tools that I've come across in my forty years of programming. It is, perhaps, the longest-supported cross-platform tool for the three major desktop environments.

Sure, it may have its quirks and shortfalls, but all programming languages do. And in my fifteen years of using PureBasic, I would have to say that this forum is, by far, one of the most active and helpful forums around. A slowdown in posts should not denote a slowdown in the usage of PureBasic; but instead, it should reflect the ease-of-use that does not require much support. Nonetheless, this forum has many gurus lurking in the sidelines, ready to pounce on any questions posted and assist its members in any way possible.

So, to answer the titled question:

Thread looks like spam anyway

But lets speak

Practically you have point two questions
1) purebasic is not "running" inside a browser, excludict the fact that the nature of the language is bytecompiled like C/C++ etc
Purebasisc HAS. A dialecct running in browser, its called SpiderBasic... So purebasic is BETTER than c/c++

2) is the interaction of "AI" tools,
Its too early ro speak for these but always keep in lind that you can write your own plugin/pb lib , that woll do that

These are very specific tools in a very early trend.

Soon or later tou start see more and more in pb too


So yes .. purebasic is not dead, its only deqdly easy
And the aupport of all us keep it alive.... (Food of thought)