Microsoft does this by releasing "Express" editions of Visual Studio: https://www.microsoft.com/express https://www.microsoft.com/express, which is available fo

Microsoft does this by releasing "Express" editions of Visual Studio: https://www.microsoft.com/express https://www.microsoft.com/express, which is available for C#, C++, Basic, JS/Web and Windows Phone. Although the installation is different (Mac App Store vs hunting it down on Microsofts website), what they actually do is very similar.