VBScript, or Visual Basic Scripting Edition, is a lightweight, interpreted programming language developed by Microsoft. Launched in 1996, VBScript was designed for scripting web pages in Internet Explorer, as well as for server-side scripting in ASP (Active Server Pages) and for automating tasks in the Windows environment. This language is primarily based on the syntax of Visual Basic, making it relatively easy to learn, especially for those familiar with the Visual Basic environment.