Article by Ayman Alheraki on January 11 2026 10:35 AM
Pascal is one of the programming languages that left a significant mark on the software development world over the past decades. Despite its remarkable power and capabilities, its popularity has waned compared to modern languages like C++, Rust, and Python. During the 1980s and 1990s, Pascal was a jewel, especially with tools from Borland such as Turbo Pascal, which laid the foundation for teaching programming and building professional applications.
Since the late 1980s, I have used Borland programming tools such as Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, and Borland C++. Over time, I transitioned to C++Builder, which continues to provide incredible capabilities for application development. My connection with Delphi (an extension of Pascal) began later when I converted one of my programs to it about 12 years ago.
Given that the VCL library used with C++Builder is written in Delphi, I often needed to understand and translate its code into C++. This frequent exposure allowed me to appreciate Delphi’s simplicity and power. Although I haven't used Delphi extensively for my own applications, I’ve come to admire it as a language that is easy to read and write yet incredibly robust.
Despite its significant potential, Pascal’s popularity has diminished for several reasons:
Emergence of Newer Languages: Languages like Python and JavaScript gained widespread adoption due to their simplicity and ease of learning, attracting many new developers.
Lack of Community Support: Compared to newer languages, Pascal lacks the extensive developer communities and modern learning resources.
Limited Promotion: Embarcadero, Pascal’s current owner, hasn’t invested enough in marketing it as a modern and powerful development tool.
Competition with C++ and Rust: These languages offer superior performance and support for advanced features like concurrency and memory safety, making them more appealing for contemporary development.
Despite the challenges, Pascal remains a strong contender in the programming world, offering several unique advantages:
Clarity and Simplicity: Pascal is one of the easiest languages to learn and read, making it ideal for beginners and experienced developers alike.
Support for Modern Technologies:
FireMonkey (FMX): A cross-platform library supporting application development for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
VCL: A robust library designed for desktop application development on Windows.
Integration with Embarcadero Tools: A powerful and integrated development environment that simplifies building large and complex applications.
High Performance: Thanks to its advanced compilers, Pascal delivers performance comparable to languages like C++ in certain applications.
Professional Community: Although smaller, Pascal’s developer community comprises skilled professionals working on large, successful projects.
Embarcadero has an opportunity to bring Pascal and Delphi back to the forefront, especially given the growing focus on cross-platform software development and high-productivity tools. This can be achieved through:
Effective Promotion:
Advertising campaigns targeting new developers and startups.
Highlighting the success stories of existing applications developed using Delphi.
Expanding Educational Resources: Developing courses and open-source materials aimed at universities and beginner developers.
Strengthening the Community: Supporting the developer ecosystem and encouraging open-source contributions.
Integration with Modern Languages: Providing solutions for integrating Delphi with languages like Python and Rust to attract a broader audience.
Absolutely. Pascal is not just a relic of the past but a forward-thinking language capable of addressing today’s challenges. With continuous updates from Embarcadero, Pascal and Delphi have the potential to become go-to tools for developers, especially for cross-platform application development and large-scale software.