The .NET Framework is a software framework developed by Microsoft that runs primarily on Windows and provides language interoperability across programming languages. Visual Basic .NET is an object-oriented and multi-purpose programming language from Microsoft suitable for most development needs that can be viewed as an evolution of Visual Basic implemented on the .NET Framework. There have been seven versions of Visual Basic .NET released since 2002, with each new version released alongside updates to the .NET Framework. Visual Studio .NET is an integrated development environment that allows Visual Basic .NET, Visual C++, Visual C#, and Visual J# to share tools and create mixed language solutions while leveraging the .NET Framework.