When Delphi 1 was released 25 years ago, I compiled a top ten reasons for using Delphi. This is my original list from the preface of the original Mastering Delphi books:

“There are many programming environments you can work with, but Delphi is outstanding for a number of reasons. Here are my top ten reasons to use Delphi, in reverse order:

  • 10. Previous Borland Pascal and C++ compilers
  • 9. The third-party components and tools
  • 8. The editor, the debugger, the browser, and the other tools
  • 7. The library source code availability
  • 6. The form-based and object-oriented approach
  • 5. A fast compiler
  • 4. The database support
  • 3. The close integration with Windows programming
  • 2. Delphi's component technology
  • 1. The Object Pascal language”

Now, after so many years, what would be a top 10, or better a “Top 25 Reasons to use Delphi” list? I’m not sorting them in any order this time and keeping all those that still apply (hint, all of them!):

  • 1. The Object Pascal language
  • 2. The rich ecosystem of third-party components and tools
  • 3. The IDE itself, with the editor, the debugger, and the other tools
  • 4. The library source code availability
  • 5. The VCL, which remains the best component library for native Windows development, by far the more stable over 25 years, and encompasses all of the Windows APIs, including COM and WinRT
  • 6. The FireMonkey library with its ability to write a single source code for the UI of applications running on desktop and mobile platforms, and covering 5 operating systems
  • 7. The form-based and object-oriented approach, and the ability to mix pure coding and visual design
  • 8. A fast compiler, or better, many fast compilers
  • 9 The availability of 10 native compilers, for iOS (2+1), Android (2), macOS (2), Windows (2), and Linux (1) targeting Intel 32, Intel 64, Arm 32 and Arm 64
  • 10. The extensive database support, with the great and comprehensive FireDAC library
  • 11. The close integration with Windows programming and its APIs
  • 12. The ability to call APIs on all platforms, desktop and mobile
  • 13. Delphi's component technology and its core RTL library, starting with its form and components streaming mechanism
  • 14. The deep support for Internet technologies, thanks to WebBroker, Indy, DataSnap, WebSnap, SOAP, BaaS clients, Cloud Clients, HTTP client library, REST client library and many third party options
  • 15. The FireMonkey designers with device views and live previews on device
  • 16. The modern language extensions, like generics, anonymous methods, attributes and reflection
  • 17. A great community of active developers, MVPs, and partners
  • 18. The unique compatibility with source code witten older versions of the product, including ancient ones, which preserves the investments in the billions of lines of Delphi source code developers have written
  • 19. Some truly unbelievable applications built in Delphi over the years for all industries and at all latitudes, and the incredible success stories of companies using the product
  • 20. The ability of writing custom components for all platforms
  • 21. The ability to extend the IDE with new component and property editors, wizards, and more
  • 22. RAD Server multi tier plug-in architecture
  • 23. The Visual LiveBindings architecture
  • 24. The Actions and Actions Manager architectures
  • 25. The fun of coding in Delphi ;-)

Using Delphi over the last 25 years has been a great experience. Delphi 1 was great, Delphi 10.3.3 is an impressive product. Long live Delphi!