<P> Visual Studio 2008 introduced the Visual Studio Shell that allows for development of a customized version of the IDE . The Visual Studio Shell defines a set of VSPackages that provide the functionality required in any IDE . On top of that, other packages can be added to customize the installation . The Isolated mode of the shell creates a new AppId where the packages are installed . These are to be started with a different executable . It is aimed for development of custom development environments, either for a specific language or a specific scenario . The Integrated mode installs the packages into the AppId of the Professional / Standard / Team System editions, so that the tools integrate into these editions . The Visual Studio Shell is available as a free download . </P> <P> After the release of Visual Studio 2008, Microsoft created the Visual Studio Gallery . It serves as the central location for posting information about extensions to Visual Studio . Community developers as well as commercial developers can upload information about their extensions to Visual Studio . NET 2002 through Visual Studio 2010 . Users of the site can rate and review the extensions to help assess the quality of extensions being posted . An extension is stored in a VSIX file . Internally a VSIX file is a ZIP file that contains some XML files, and possibly one or more DLL's . One of the main advantages of these extensions is that they do not require Administrator rights to be installed . RSS feeds to notify users on updates to the site and tagging features are also planned . </P> <Dl> <Dt> Microsoft Visual C++ </Dt> <Dd> Microsoft Visual C++ is Microsoft's implementation of the C and C++ compiler and associated languages - services and specific tools for integration with the Visual Studio IDE . It can compile either in C mode or C++ mode . For C, it follows the 1990 version of the ISO C standard with parts of C99 specification along with MS - specific additions in the form of libraries . For C++, it follows the ANSI C++ specification along with a few C + + 11 features . It also supports the C++ / CLI specification to write managed code, as well as mixed - mode code (a mix of native and managed code). Microsoft positions Visual C++ for development in native code or in code that contains both native as well as managed components . Visual C++ supports COM as well as the MFC library . For MFC development, it provides a set of wizards for creating and customizing MFC boilerplate code, and creating GUI applications using MFC . Visual C++ can also use the Visual Studio forms designer to design UI graphically . Visual C++ can also be used with the Windows API . It also supports the use of intrinsic functions, which are functions recognized by the compiler itself and not implemented as a library . Intrinsic functions are used to expose the SSE instruction set of modern CPUs . Visual C++ also includes the OpenMP (version 2.0) specification . </Dd> <Dt> Microsoft Visual C#</Dt> <Dd> Microsoft Visual C#, Microsoft's implementation of the C#language, targets the . NET Framework, along with the language services that lets the Visual Studio IDE support C#projects . While the language services are a part of Visual Studio, the compiler is available separately as a part of the . NET Framework . The Visual C#2008, 2010 and 2012 compilers support versions 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 of the C#language specifications, respectively . Visual C#supports the Visual Studio Class designer, Forms designer, and Data designer among others . </Dd> <Dt> Microsoft Visual Basic </Dt> <Dd> Microsoft Visual Basic is Microsoft's implementation of the VB.NET language and associated tools and language services . It was introduced with Visual Studio . NET (2002). Microsoft has positioned Visual Basic for Rapid Application Development . Visual Basic can be used to author both console applications as well as GUI applications . Like Visual C#, Visual Basic also supports the Visual Studio Class designer, Forms designer, and Data designer among others . Like C#, the VB.NET compiler is also available as a part of . NET Framework, but the language services that let VB.NET projects be developed with Visual Studio, are available as a part of the latter . </Dd> <Dt> Microsoft Visual Web Developer </Dt> <Dd> Microsoft Visual Web Developer is used to create web sites, web applications and web services using ASP.NET . Either C#or VB.NET languages can be used . Visual Web Developer can use the Visual Studio Web Designer to graphically design web page layouts . </Dd> <Dt> Team Foundation Server </Dt> <Dd> Team Foundation Server is intended for collaborative software development projects and acts as the server - side backend providing source control, data collection, reporting, and project - tracking functionality . It also includes the Team Explorer, the client tool for TFS services, which is integrated inside Visual Studio Team System . </Dd> </Dl> <Dt> Microsoft Visual C++ </Dt>

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