Final answer:
The recommended version of Visual Studio for Sitecore development is aligned with the Sitecore compatibility table, which varies depending on the Sitecore version in use. It's not strictly limited to options like 4.0 or 4.5 but depends on the .NET framework supported by the specific Sitecore version.
Step-by-step explanation:
The recommended version of Visual Studio for Sitecore development is not typically referred to by a numerical version such as 4.0 or 4.5. Instead, compatibility depends on the version of Sitecore you're working with. Generally, it's advisable to use the latest supported versions of Visual Studio that are aligned with the Sitecore compatibility table which details what versions of Visual Studio are tested and supported for each version of Sitecore.
For Sitecore development, you would use the Visual Studio version that supports the .NET framework version required by the specific Sitecore version you are developing for. Since each release of Sitecore may support different versions of .NET, it's important to check the official Sitecore documentation for compatibility guidelines.