Integer BASIC

Integer BASIC is a BASIC interpreter written by Steve Wozniak for the Apple I and Apple II computers. Originally available on cassette for the Apple I in 1976, then included in ROM on the Apple II from its release in 1977, it was the first version of BASIC used by many early home computer owners.^[2]

The only numeric data type was the integer; floating-point numbers were not supported. Using integers allowed numbers to be stored in a compact 16-bit format that could be more rapidly read and processed than the 32- or 40-bit floating-point formats found in most BASICs of the era. This made it so fast that Bill Gates complained when it outperformed Microsoft BASIC in benchmarks. However, this also limited its applicability as a general-purpose language.^[a]

Another difference with other BASICs of the era is that Integer BASIC treated strings as arrays of characters, similar to the system in C or Fortran 77. Substrings were accessed using array slicing rather than string functions. This style was introduced in HP Time-Shared BASIC, and could also be found in other contemporary BASICs patterned on HP, like North Star BASIC and Atari BASIC. It contrasted with the style found in BASICs derived from DEC, including Microsoft BASIC.

The language was initially developed under the name GAME BASIC and referred to simply as Apple BASIC when it was introduced on the Apple I. It became Integer BASIC when it was ported to the Apple II and shipped alongside Applesoft BASIC, a port of Microsoft BASIC which included floating-point support. Integer BASIC was phased out in favor of Applesoft BASIC starting with the Apple II Plus in 1979.

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