Will VBA Remain Relevant in the Coming Years?

VBA, or Visual Basic for Applications, has a long and storied history in the realm of automation and macro scripting. Despite its limitations, it continues to find a place in many professional and personal applications. This article explores the future of VBA and whether it will remain in demand.

Understanding VBA's Position

VBA is a scripting language primarily used for automating tasks within Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. It is a powerful tool for non-IT professionals who need quick, effective solutions without the need for complex programming knowledge. Len, a seasoned expert, has highlighted that VBA, despite the rise of more popular languages like Python, JavaScript, and C#, continues to be a preferred choice for performance and ease of use.

Coding for Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Access in VBA is easiest, best to debug, and fastest to run, typically running 1x faster than Python or JavaScript.
Len

Popularity and Adoption

A significant reason for VBA's continued relevance is its use by self-empowered non-IT professionals who need to get things done quickly. This includes scientific staff, among many others, who often write a substantial amount of the code in-house using VBA. In my own experience as a professional developer for several decades, I have observed that the vast majority of custom solutions developed by non-IT staff within the company use VBA.

These individuals are not aware of the substantial amount of organic business that relies on VBA. As long as people continue to use spreadsheets and other Microsoft Office applications, VBA will have a place. While Microsoft is providing alternatives with C# and JavaScript, these languages require more advanced coding skills and are not as accessible or user-friendly for non-IT professionals.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite its strengths, VBA faces some challenges. The syntax is less popular and may not be as fashionable as other languages. It is often characterized as the "duct tape of industry," a tool used to make quick fixes rather than elegant solutions. Additionally, while it can be used to record macros, direct scripting is more cumbersome, which limits its adoption.

However, this does not necessarily mean that VBA is destined to fade away. Its ease of use, powerful automation capabilities, and the fact that it is built directly into Microsoft Office applications mean that it will continue to be relevant for many users.

Benefits of Learning VBA

Learning VBA can be a valuable skill, providing a foundation upon which more advanced programming languages can be built. VBA offers a practical introduction to programming concepts, and the skills learned can be transferred to other languages like Python, JavaScript, or C#. Moreover, understanding VBA can provide insights into the inner workings of Microsoft Office applications, making you a more effective user and developer in the long run.

Conclusion: While the demand for VBA may not grow significantly, its relevance and usefulness are likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Non-IT professionals, in particular, will continue to rely on VBA for its ease of use and powerful automation capabilities. As long as people use Microsoft Office applications, VBA will remain a valuable and essential tool.