{{fbdoc item="title" value="About"}}----
About the ""FreeBASIC"" project.

	The ""FreeBASIC"" project is a set of cross-platform development tools initially created by Andre Victor, consisting of a compiler, GNU-based assembler, linker and archiver, and supporting runtime libraries, including a software-based graphics library. The compiler, //##fbc##//, currently supports building for i386-based architectures on the DOS, Linux, Windows and Xbox platforms. The project also contains thin bindings (header files) to some popular 3rd party libraries such as the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_standard_library|C runtime library]], [[http://www.talula.demon.co.uk/allegro/|Allegro]], [[http://libsdl.org|SDL]], [[http://opengl.org|OpenGL]], [[http://gtk.org|GTK+]], [[http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa383750.aspx|the Windows API]] and many others, as well as example programs for many of these libraries.
	
	""FreeBASIC"" is a high-level programming language supporting procedural, object-orientated and meta-programming paradigms, with a syntax compatible to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuickBASIC|Microsoft QuickBASIC]]. In fact, the ""FreeBASIC"" project originally began as an attempt to create a code-compatible, free alternative to ""QuickBASIC"", but it has since grown into a powerful development tool. ""FreeBASIC"" can be seen to extend the capabilities of ""QuickBASIC"" in a number of ways, supporting more data types, language constructs, programming styles, and modern platforms and APIs.

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