![Visual Studio Builds]()
Main builds and Key Features from Visual Studio since 2005
| Version Name |
Release Date |
Build Number |
Key Features |
| Visual Studio 2005 |
November 7, 2005 |
8.0 |
Introduced .NET 2.0, generic collections, partial classes, and nullable types. |
| Visual Studio 2008 |
November 19, 2007 |
9.0 |
Added support for .NET 3.5, LINQ, C++/CLI. |
| Visual Studio 2010 |
April 12, 2010 |
10.0 |
Introduced .NET 4.0, F#, parallel programming. |
| Visual Studio 2012 |
September 12, 2012 |
11.0 |
New UI, support for .NET 4.5, asynchronous methods. |
| Visual Studio 2013 |
October 17, 2013 |
12.0 |
Introduced .NET 4.5.1, One ASP.NET, TypeScript. |
| Visual Studio 2015 |
July 20, 2015 |
14.0 |
.NET 4.6 and .NET Core 1.0, Roslyn compiler, C# 6, VB 14. |
| Visual Studio 2017 |
March 7, 2017 |
15.0 |
Introduced .NET Core 2.0, C# 7, VB 15, Live Unit Testing. |
| Visual Studio 2019 |
April 2, 2019 |
16.0 |
.NET Core 3, C# 8, VB 16, Visual Studio Live Share. |
| Visual Studio 2022 |
November 8, 2021 |
17.0 |
Desenv.exe in 64bits, C# 10, improvements, record structs, struct type enhancements, interpolated string handlers, global using directives, file-scoped namespace declaration, and extended property patterns |
| Visual Studio 2022 |
November 8, 2022 |
17.4 |
.NET 7, C# 11 introduced features such as support for generic math, raw string literals, file-scoped types, and other new capabilities. |
| Visual Studio 2022 |
November 14, 2023 |
17.8 |
.NET 8, C# 12, GitHub Copilot integration, Remote Linux Unit Test Support, Multi-Repo Limit Increase, Summary Diff, and others. |
| Visual Studio 2022 |
February 13, 2024 |
17.9 |
AI-generated Git commit messages, Non-modal Debug Visualizers, C++ Memory Layout Visualization, Blazor CRUD scaffolding, Extension loading via vsconfig files, and others. |
| Visual Studio 2022 |
November 12, 2024 |
17.12 |
C# 13, .NET 9, GitHub Copilot improvements. |
About Visual Studio
Visual Studio, Microsoft's sophisticated Integrated Development Environment (IDE), has gone through multiple incarnations over the years, each adding new features, upgrades, and optimizations that make it a more advanced and updated platform for developers. This constant evolution emphasizes the significance of staying current with the latest releases in order to prevent designing systems with out-of-date technologies.
Visual Studio debuted in 1997 as a suite of software development tools developed by Microsoft. Since then, the platform has undergone major improvements, with Microsoft releasing new versions nearly every two years. Each subsequent edition has been more sophisticated and advanced than the one before it, demonstrating Microsoft's dedication to fulfilling the ever-changing demands of developers throughout the world.
Microsoft has worked on supporting various programming languages, including C++, C#, and Visual Basic, under a single IDE since the early versions of Visual Studio.NET. These early versions offered developers the simplicity and efficiency of combining code editing, interface design, server management, and debugging on a single platform.
Microsoft provided additional IntelliSense support and.NET framework updates with Visual Studio 2005 and 2008, making application development more manageable and efficient. These versions also incorporated visual designer tool upgrades, making it easier for developers to construct Windows programs with drag-and-drop features.
Visual Studio 2010 was a watershed moment, including support for the recently released Windows 7 and.NET framework 4. It enhanced the environment's speed, dependability, and adaptability. With their modern UI and mix of dark and light themes, Visual Studio 2012 and 2013 added tools like code review, picture editor, and SharePoint development to the platform.
With the release of Visual Studio 2015, Microsoft highlighted a paradigm shift in its increasing focus on mobile and cloud development, delivering tools for developing cross-platform apps utilizing Apache Cordova and Xamarin. Microsoft continued to respond to modern development needs with the following release, Visual Studio 2017, which provides Live Unit Testing capability, increased IntelliSense performance, and more significant support for containerized apps.
Visual Studio 2019 demonstrates Microsoft's dedication to continuous improvement. It has a new start window to help developers get started quickly, AI-assisted code completions with Visual Studio IntelliCode, and collaboration tools with Visual Studio Live Share.
Visual Studio provides various advantages to developers. It's faster, easier to use, and lighter than its predecessors, and it's intended for both learning and generating industrial-scale solutions. Furthermore, Visual Studio 2022 provides better cross-platform development tools and the most recent version of C++ build tools with C++20 compatibility.
A Visual Studio subscription gives you access to various tools, services, training, and support to help you accelerate development, foster collaboration anywhere, and innovate on any platform, all while maximizing security and compliance. Native Android applications may be created using Xamarin and C# or C++, and Android game development is possible with the Visual Studio Tools for Unity and Unreal Engine.
Additionally, Visual Studio customers can use their Azure Credits to start with the Microsoft Development Computer immediately. This simplifies project setup by providing pre-configured, high-performance, self-service development computers for your projects while also allowing you to personalize your development computer based on your preferences and work patterns.
These are only a few of the numerous advantages of Visual Studio 2022. It's a strong tool that can assist developers in creating one-of-a-kind applications more rapidly and efficiently.
Each new edition of Visual Studio represents a technological advancement, including the most recent programming paradigms, user interface designs, and productivity tools. As a result, developers must keep up with the latest updates. Using an outdated version may result in developing systems that use deprecated or less secure technology, reducing efficiency, functionality, and longevity.
In conclusion, the evolution of Visual Studio versions exemplifies the quick speed of technological improvement in the software development industry. Keeping up with the latest Visual Studio versions guarantees that developers have cutting-edge tools and capabilities, allowing them to design resilient, secure, and efficient systems following current technical requirements. It reinforces the motto for software developers: change, adapt, and stay current.
Curiously, there was no version 13.0 of Visual Studio, and there is no info on the web about this.
More information about the current version here.