X11-Basic is a fast, lightweight, and structured dialect of the BASIC programming language. It integrates modern features like graphics, sound, shell scripting, and advanced mathematics.
If you are looking at mastering cross-platform development through this ecosystem, you will be leveraging a syntax that heavily resembles the classic GFA-Basic from the ATARI ST era. However, it has been modernized to run across multiple operating systems. Supported Ecosystem & Targets
The language is designed to run seamlessly across a diverse footprint of hardware and operating systems:
Workstations & Desktops: UNIX, Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows. Single-Board Computers: Raspberry Pi.
Mobile & Embedded: Android and TomTom car navigation systems. Core Technical Features
Modern Control Structures: It is a structured language that does not require traditional BASIC line numbers.
Advanced Math Capabilities: Out of the box, it supports complex numbers, complex math operations, arbitrary big integers, and linear algebra.
Dual Execution Model: It runs both as a fast interpreter (xbasic) for shell scripting/CGI web inputs and as a compiler suite. The Cross-Platform Compilation Pipeline
Mastering advanced development in X11-Basic requires understanding how its compilation toolchain targets different systems:
[ .bas Source File ] | +———+———+ | | (xbc Compiler) (xbbc Compiler) | | v v [Native Stand-alone] [ .b Bytecode File ] Binaries () | v (xbvm Virtual Machine) | v Cross-Platform Execution
Note: Native standalone binary generation via xbc is supported on all major platforms except Android.
The Interpreter (xbasic): Serves as an interactive shell. It evaluates direct commands instantly and can act as a command-line utility.
The Native Compiler (xbc): Compiles .bas scripts directly into high-performance, standalone native binaries.
The Bytecode Compiler (xbbc): Translates code into a platform-independent .b bytecode format. This file runs anywhere via the companion Virtual Machine (xbvm).
C Translation (xb2c): Translates the bytecode into native .c source code, allowing developers to optimize binaries through standard GCC or Clang toolchains. Native Tools and Resource Optimizations
To simplify writing cross-platform graphical user interfaces, the framework includes helper utilities:
gui2bas: A form formatter utility that converts layout templates (.gui files) directly into executable BASIC subroutines.
rsc2gui: Translates heritage ATARI-ST resource files (*.RSC) over to the modern framework.
inline: Converts external binary assets—such as raw graphics, images, and custom sound files—directly into standard ASCII BASIC source code. This eliminates runtime asset-loading paths, allowing you to deploy your entire application as a single, self-contained file.
Official documentation and downloads are hosted on the X11-Basic Codeberg Page and the legacy X11-Basic SourceForge Repository.
Are you planning to build a graphical application or a command-line tool? If you tell me your target platform (e.g., Linux, Windows, or Android), I can provide a simple code boilerplate to kickstart your development. X11-Basic: BASIC for UNIX
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