Developer Tools · Reviewed
Delphi
A visual application-development environment combining Object Pascal, native compilation and reusable components, originally introduced by Borland for Windows programming.
Overview
Delphi combines a code editor, compiler, debugger and visual form designer. Developers assemble interfaces from components, set properties and connect events to Object Pascal code. The Visual Component Library made this model particularly recognizable in native Windows applications.
Database connectivity and reusable components support business software and other desktop tools. Later generations added frameworks and targets beyond the original Windows environment. Those capabilities depend on product generation and edition: Delphi's wider platform support should not be attributed to the first release or confused with identical behavior across all application frameworks.
Key features
- Object Pascal language
- Native compilation
- Visual form and component design
- Event-driven programming
- Database and business-application tools
Historical significance
Delphi made rapid application development practical for a large class of compiled Windows software. Its combination of forms, events and components reduced repetitive interface work while keeping the programming language central. It also demonstrates the longevity of business applications and developer ecosystems built around a stable language and component model.
History and development
Borland introduced Delphi in 1995, building on the Turbo Pascal toolchain and Object Pascal language. It combined rapid visual interface construction with compiled execution, addressing developers who wanted productive Windows tools without giving up native applications.
The product later passed through Borland's CodeGear organization to Embarcadero, which acquired CodeGear in 2008. Development expanded the language, component frameworks and deployment targets. Delphi's long history also includes a substantial third-party component ecosystem, through which teams could add interface controls, reporting and specialized application functions.