var fDesc=new Array(); fDesc[0] = "Visual Studio is extensible by nature, ultimately consisting of a core "shell" that implements all commands, windows, editors, project types, languages, and other features through dynamically loadable modules called "packages".[19][20] Microsoft encourages and fosters third party partners to create modules for Visual Studio via the free VSIP program. However, according to Dan Fernandez, Microsoft "made a business decision to not allow 3rd party extensibility in Express".

Microsoft Visual Studio Express is a set of freeware integrated development environments (IDE) developed by Microsoft that are lightweight versions of the Microsoft Visual Studio product line.
Express Editions were conceived beginning with Visual Studio 2005. The idea of Express editions, according to Microsoft, is to provide streamlined, easy-to-use and easy-to-learn IDEs for users other than professional software developers, such as hobbyists and students. The first versions of Visual Studio 2005 Express were released on October 2005 and the Service Pack 1 versions were released on December 2006.

Visual Studio 2005 Express Editions ran on Windows 2000 SP4 and above Windows NT-based platforms. In line with popular demand since their original release,[2] these editions will always remain free-of-charge.

Visual Studio 2008 Express editions were released in November 2007 and their SP1 on August 11, 2008. Visual Studio 2008 and 2010 Express Editions require Windows XP or a later Windows version; Windows 2000 is no longer supported for development but can be a target platform if using 2008 Express. Microsoft may make previous versions of Visual Studio Express unavailable.

Visual Studio 2010 Express Editions were released in April 2010 alongside Visual Studio 2010.

Visual Basic is a reliable and sturdy program that can be used by a big range of people from newcomers in the world of programing to experienced ones."If you can imagine a computer program, you can probably create it with Visual Basic Express" Microsoft."; function tShowHide(id, show) { var s = document.getElementById("desc"); if ((s.innerHTML.length<=212 || show==1) && show!=2) { s.innerHTML = fDesc[id]; if (document.getElementById('m1')) document.getElementById('m1').style.display='none'; if (document.getElementById('m2')) document.getElementById('m2').style.display='none'; if (document.getElementById('more_txt')) document.getElementById('more_txt').style.display='inline'; } else { s.innerHTML = ''; } }