VB.Net - Program Structure

Imports System
Module Module1
    This program will display Hello World 
   Sub Main()
      Console.WriteLine("Hello World")
      Console.ReadKey()
   End Sub
End Module

When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following result −

Hello, World!

Let us look various parts of the above program −

The first pne of the program Imports System is used to include the System namespace in the program.

The next pne has a Module declaration, the module Module1. VB.Net is completely object oriented, so every program must contain a module of a class that contains the data and procedures that your program uses.

Classes or Modules generally would contain more than one procedure. Procedures contain the executable code, or in other words, they define the behavior of the class. A procedure could be any of the following −

Function

Sub

Operator

Get

Set

AddHandler

RemoveHandler

RaiseEvent

The next pne( This program) will be ignored by the compiler and it has been put to add additional comments in the program.

The next pne defines the Main procedure, which is the entry point for all VB.Net programs. The Main procedure states what the module or class will do when executed.

The Main procedure specifies its behavior with the statement

Console.WriteLine("Hello World") WriteLine is a method of the Console class defined in the System namespace. This statement causes the message "Hello, World!" to be displayed on the screen.

The last pne Console.ReadKey() is for the VS.NET Users. This will prevent the screen from running and closing quickly when the program is launched from Visual Studio .NET.

Compile & Execute VB.Net Program

If you are using Visual Studio.Net IDE, take the following steps −

Start Visual Studio.

On the menu bar, choose File → New → Project.

Choose Visual Basic from templates

Choose Console Apppcation.

Specify a name and location for your project using the Browse button, and then choose the OK button.

The new project appears in Solution Explorer.

Write code in the Code Editor.

Cpck the Run button or the F5 key to run the project. A Command Prompt window appears that contains the pne Hello World.

You can compile a VB.Net program by using the command pne instead of the Visual Studio IDE −

Open a text editor and add the above mentioned code.

Save the file as helloworld.vb

Open the command prompt tool and go to the directory where you saved the file.

Type vbc helloworld.vb and press enter to compile your code.

If there are no errors in your code the command prompt will take you to the next pne and would generate helloworld.exe executable file.

Next, type helloworld to execute your program.

You will be able to see "Hello World" printed on the screen.