What is the difference between VB and VBScript?
39
votes
I'm stripping the Java/JavaScript bit out of your question, as it's irrelevant and duplicates an existing question. For the answer, see: stackoverflow.com/questions/245062/…
– Shog9
Related post - What is the difference between vbscript and vb.net?
– RBT
VBA features not in VBScript and VBScript features not in VBA: csidata.com/custserv/onlinehelp/vbsdocs/vbsfea1.htm
– GSerg
6 Answers
32
votes
VB is a full-fledged programming language which can be used to create compiled applications, while VBScript is a sub-set of VB and is a scripting language that can be used to run a set of commands, similar to an old-school DOS batch file. Generally, a scripting language can not be used to create a full-fledged binary application and it can not be compiled down to a executable binary file.
10
votes
VBScript is a variety of VB, just as VB6, VBA, and VB.NET are. They're all different, some of them dramatically so.
9
votes
This is a very old question, but existing answers are outrageously vague, and/or fail to identify the most important stuff, when they're not just plain wrong. Not going to repeat what other answers already indicate, but the following differences are missing from the other answers:
Scopes
VBScript code doesn't need procedure scopes: it can be written as a [drumroll] script that just executes a bunch of procedural operations top-to-bottom.
In VB6/VBA executable statements can only exist inside procedure scopes.
Types
In VBScript everything (variables, function return values, etc.) is a Variant (i.e. pretty much a duck, like in JavaScript). It is illegal to declare an explicit type when declaring a variable. The As keyword is illegal!
In VB6/VBA everything defaults to an implicit Variant, but good VB6/VBA code uses explicit types where applicable.
6
votes
VBScript is a "lightweight" subset of Visual Basic with limited syntax that is used for scripting purposes (like routine task automation) rather than application development.
While Visual Basic code is compiled into binary executables, VBScript code is interpreted and runs within a host environment (e.g. Windows Script Host or Internet Explorer).
3
votes
