Category:Minimal BASIC

Minimal BASIC
This programming language may be used to instruct a computer to perform a task.

Lang tag(s):	basic
See Also:	Minimal BASIC on the HOPL

Listed below are all of the tasks on Rosetta Code which have been solved using Minimal BASIC.

Minimal BASIC is a standard for a very small subset of the BASIC programming language. It was established through the strict co-operation between ECMA and ANSI. It is specified in ECMA Standard 55, ANSI X3.60-1978, and ISO/IEC 6373:1984. It has a rigorous test suite (initially NBSIR 77-1420 from 1978) to ensure that vendors supplying computer systems to the US Federal government met compatibility guidelines.

The language is very limited:

• Line numbers are required.
• No string manipulation commands.
• All variables must be defined or modified using the LET keyword.
• The only loop structure is FOR … TO … STEP …, with loop parameters fixed at entry.
• All programs must end with an END statement.

Standard ECMA-55 references to the standards ECMA-6 (7-Bit Input/Output Coded Charcater Set) and ECMA-53 (Representation of Source Programs).

Implementations:

• Microsoft BASIC 5.0 for 8080 (BASIC-80, MBASIC for CP/M - 1981) claims compliance in its manual.
• bas55
• John's ECMA-55 Minimal BASIC Compiler

ECMA and ANSI also prepared a standard for Full BASIC (Standard ECMA-116).