Microsoft has confirmed plans to pull the plug on VBScript in the second half of 2024 in a move that signals the end of an era for programmers.
Initially, VBScript will transition to an on-demand feature, but later down the line, Microsoft will entirely remove the tool from fure versions of Windows.
Visual Basic Scripting Edition, affectionately known as VBScript, was introduced as a light programming language by Microsoft in 1996, but since then, alternatives like PowerShell and JavaScript have proven more powerful.
VBScript is being phased out
In an official company announcement, Microsoft program manager Naveen Shankar said the decision was made to end support in order to transition to more modern, efficient and advanced options.
Shankar reiterated: “Technology has advanced over the years, giving rise to more powerful and versatile scripting languages such as JavaScript and PowerShell. These languages offer broader capabilities and are better suited for modern web development and automation tasks.”
As part of Microsoft’s plan, VBScript will be available as features on demand (FODs) in the upcoming operating system, slated for release this year.
VBScript will be introduced as FODs in Windows 11, version 24H2, and will be enabled by default. Phase 2 will see the tools turned off by default, which Microsoft expects will happen in 2027.
Shankar shared more information on the final stage of deprecation: “VBScript will be retired and eliminated from future versions of Windows. This means all the dynamic link libraries (.dll files) of VBScript will be removed. As a result, projects that rely on VBScript will stop functioning. By then, we expect that you’ll have switched to suggested alternatives.”
No time frame is given, however those still using VBScript have been warned to migrate to PowerShell or JavaScript, and doing so sooner rather than later will prevent problems later on down the line.
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