Code generation is a technique that is used in the development of applications. There are many types of code generators on the market, each with their unique capabilities. Visual basic code generator is currently the favourite among programmers. This rapid application development tool is generally used to create windows applications. A task it efficiently completes in a short period of time.

The basic task of the visual basic code generator is to convert source code data from intermediate language form into a language that can easily be read and enacted by a computer. Code generators such as the visual basic code generator can normally perform dual functions. Aside from intermediate representation conversion, they also try to improve on the code. This optimization can be pursued on the instructional level; where the generator opts for either faster or fewer instructions. It can also be pursued at the more advanced stage through exploitation of available registers and avoidance and elimination of redundant computations.

The typical process that the visual basic code generator goes through includes selection, scheduling, allocation and debugging. At the first two stages of the process, the visual basic code generator chooses the set of instructions that it is going to implement. It then determines the order in which these instructions are to be executed. This step could also contribute in terms of speed optimization; especially in the case of pipe-lined machines. In the third step, allocation refers to the collection of associated variables to the available processor register. The final stage of the visual basic code generator is the debugging process. This ensures that there is no data redundancy.

Aside from the fact that it is one of the fastest code generators; one of the other reasons for the popularity of the visual basic code generator is that it has one of the largest number of code lines. The beauty of the visual basic code generator lies in its simplicity. By nature of its design it can be used successfully by novices in the programming world as well as more experienced programmers. The large code data base makes it easy for users to create any type of computer program they can think of; a phenomenon that has led to even non-programmers using it just for fun.

The visual basic code generator is available a part of the ‘Microsoft visual basic software’. The features of the visual basic software include an integrated development environment which helps in the creation of design and code of the application. The IDE has two user interfaces; the design view and the code view. In the former, a programmer can use the visual basic software to design a graphic user interface. Using a basic drag and drop, the programmer can select the desired text-bones, buttons, pictures, media player and flash content from the tool box. The latter part of the interface is the visual basic code generator. Codes can be written in the code view for the various controls in the program. Code is automatically generated when a button is double clicked (i.e.: the action will transfer the user to code view which has the function to run whenever a button is clicked).