Mind Your Language

The Object Pascal language used in Delphi is constantly evolving. With every new version of Delphi, there are new features added to the language. Even though there are different Delphi compilers for each of the platforms, the language is the same. Minor differences depend on whether the target platform is 32-bit or 64-bit, and some other platform nuances. But in almost all cases, the same source code compiles and works across all platforms. This wasn’t the case in the early days of Delphi mobile compilers, which implemented Automatic Reference Counting (ARC) and other features not found in the desktop counterpart.

Fluency in using the Object Pascal language (also known as the Delphi language) is a key skill for every Delphi developer. It’s easy to underestimate how a good knowledge of the language can make you a better (and faster) developer.

This chapter will cover the following:

• Do you speak Object Pascal?
• The Object Pascal language...