Visual Basic 6 rebuilt in C# – complete with form designer and IDE in browser

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A browser-based recreation of the classic Visual Basic 6 IDE in C# and Avalonia has triggered a wave of nostalgia and praise for old-school rapid application development tools. Commenters highlight how VB6 and contemporaries like Delphi and PowerBuilder enabled non-specialists to quickly build practical Windows apps, something many feel modern stacks (.NET, web frameworks, low-code SaaS tools) have made more complex despite greater power and portability. The project also prompts debate over pushing everything into the browser, WebAssembly’s role in bringing desktop paradigms to the web, and whether there’s room today for a modern, open, visual builder that recaptures VB-style productivity.

Project behavior and limitations

  • Runs a VB6-like IDE and form designer in the browser via C#/Avalonia compiled to WebAssembly; everything is drawn into a canvas.
  • Initial versions lacked syntax error reporting and some control events (e.g., Label Click), and some users couldn’t get simple MsgBox handlers to fire; the author quickly patched these.
  • The language is an interpreter with only a subset of VB6 implemented; no compile-time errors yet.
  • Some menu items are inert or lead to disabled dialogs; no ActiveX/custom controls, add-ins, or full debugging/single-stepping.
  • Load times are long, especially in Firefox or with stricter privacy/fingerprinting settings; some report it appears broken until it finally loads.

Nostalgia and educational value

  • Many recount VB3–6 as their entry into programming and professional work, especially for quick business utilities and small games.
  • VB6’s visual form designer and RAD workflow are widely praised as uniquely productive and beginner-friendly.
  • Several note that this project instantly evokes strong nostalgia, and some want to try running decades‑old coursework or projects in it.

Comparisons to modern stacks and tools

  • Common theme: today’s mainstream stacks (web/JS frameworks, .NET/XAML, Rust/C++ etc.) are more powerful and cross‑platform but far more complex and less approachable than VB6.
  • People lament the loss of simple visual desktop RAD tools; current “low‑code/no‑code” platforms often feel more constrained, locked‑in, cloud‑bound, and expensive.
  • Some argue modern C# WinForms in Visual Studio still offers a very similar drag‑and‑drop experience, though others find .NET as a whole much more complex than classic VB.

Browser vs. desktop debates

  • Some criticize the trend of putting everything in the browser, citing poor ergonomics, heavy runtimes, and fragile behavior under privacy protections.
  • Others counter that browser delivery is what makes people try such demos at all, and Avalonia also allows full desktop builds from the same codebase.

Why VB6-style RAD “died” (as discussed)

  • Explanations offered: rise of the web and SaaS, cross‑platform needs, shifting screen sizes, security/IT lockdown of desktops, piracy concerns, and cultural disdain for “visual” tools among developers.
  • Several point out that businesses often now buy SaaS rather than build small bespoke desktop tools that VB6 once made trivial.