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RAD Is Not No-Code: Why Delphi Still Dominates Windows Desktop Development After 30 Years

The no-code movement is having its moment. Articles proclaim its death, its rebirth, its transformation. But amid all this noise, there's a critical distinction being lost:

I've been building Windows desktop applications with Delphi for three decades. During that time, I've watched trends come and go—from the CASE tool revolution to today's no-code platforms. And I've learned something important: there's a vast difference between tools that eliminate coding and tools that accelerate coding through intelligent design.

From 30 Years of Delphi to the Modern Web: My Journey Into 2026

A personal reflection on three decades of desktop development, and what comes next

The Landscape Has Changed

I started with Delphi before most developers today wrote their first line of code. Over 30 years, I watched Borland rise, worked inside the company, and built a career helping others master the platform. I've created hundreds of videos, spoken at conferences worldwide, and earned recognition in the Delphi community.

But I'm not writing this to reminisce. I'm writing because the world has fundamentally shifted, and pretending otherwise helps no one.

The traditional setup—a developer at a desk, building Windows applications that run on office PCs—is no longer the default. People work from phones on trains. They access business systems from tablets in warehouses. Executives approve invoices from airport lounges.

The desktop isn't dead. But it's no longer the center of gravity.

GitHub Is Not a Backup (And Why That Matters)

I came across something this morning that made me pause: a developer celebrating their move from daily ZIP files to GitHub, calling it their "backup solution." While I'm genuinely happy they've discovered version control, this statement reveals a dangerous misconception that's worth addressing.

Let me be clear: GitHub is not a backup. Version control is not backup. Full stop.

Random Numbers in Delphi: When the RTL is Good Enough (And When It Isn't)

I recently came across several Delphi implementations in which developers used their own random number generators, apparently unaware of—or unconvinced by—the built-in Randomize and Random functions that have been part of the RTL since Delphi's earliest days. Some developers seem to believe they can do better than the runtime library, while others might simply not know what's already available.

Let's take a fair look at Delphi's built-in random number generation, understand when it's perfectly adequate, and identify the rare cases where you might actually need something more sophisticated.

TStringList: The Swiss Army Knife You're Probably Underusing

If you've been writing Delphi code for any length of time, you've used TStringList. It's the go-to container for managing lists of strings. But here's the thing: most developers only scratch the surface of what this versatile class can do.

Let me show you three powerful features that often fly under the radar: duplicate handling, built-in sorting, and the surprisingly useful CommaText property.

🎅 Santa's Sleigh: A Festive Delphi VCL Experiment 🎄

Happy Holidays to the Delphi Community! ✨

As the holiday season wraps us in its magical embrace, I wanted to share a fun little project that perfectly captures the Christmas spirit while showcasing the power of AI-assisted Delphi development. Meet Santa's Sleigh - a delightful VCL application that brings Santa and his reindeer flying across your Windows desktop!

The Magic Behind the Scenes 🪄

This isn't just another holiday greeting - it's a fascinating experiment in modern Delphi development. The entire application was created through AI-powered coding, demonstrating just how far we've come in leveraging AI to build real, working applications.

What Makes This Special? 🌟

Santa's Sleigh is a transparent, borderless VCL application that features:

• 🦌 Rudolph Leading the Way: Watch as Rudolph with his glowing red nose leads the reindeer team
• 🛷 Authentic Sleigh Design: Hand-drawn sleigh with proper curved runners and gold trim
• 🎅 Jolly Santa: Complete with his iconic red suit, white beard, and festive hat
• ✨ Smooth Animation: 60 FPS animation with gentle wave motion as Santa glides across your screen
• 🪟 Transparent Magic: Using VCL's transparency features, only Santa's sleigh appears - no window frame in sight!
• 💫 Trailing Sparkles: Christmas magic sparkles trail behind the sleigh

A Christmas Carol for Delphi Developers: “AI Humbug!” … or Maybe Not? 🎄

Every December, you can hear it echo across developer forums:
“AI? Bah, humbug! It doesn’t help with real Delphi code!”

If you’ve spent decades refining your Delphi craft — from Turbo Pascal to today’s VCL and FireMonkey projects — you might share that sentiment. But let me show you why those days are fading faster than a pine tree in January.

Recently, I built a new Delphi system information component, TSysInfo, in about one hour.

No, not because I worked all night — but because AI helped.

Looking Forward to Speaking at TMS Training Days 2026 in Rotterdam!

I’m very excited to share some great news — TMS Software has announced the next edition of TMS Training Days, which will take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on April 23–24, 2026!

This isn’t my first time being part of a TMS event, and even though I’ve been a bit quiet lately when it comes to TMS and Delphi, I’m proud and truly honored to be invited again to speak at yet another TMS Days.

Why IBExpert Remains My Go-To Tool for Firebird Database Management

After 30 years in software development, I've learned that specialized tools almost always outperform generalist solutions. Nowhere is this more evident than in database management, where IBExpert stands as the undisputed champion for Firebird databases.

The Gold Standard for Firebird

Let me be blunt: if you're working with Firebird databases and you're not using IBExpert, you're making your life harder than it needs to be. I've tried the alternatives—those Swiss Army knife database tools that promise to handle "any database." They all fall short when it comes to Firebird. The difference isn't subtle; it's the gap between a tool built by people who truly understand Firebird's architecture and one where Firebird support was tacked on as an afterthought.

Why TMS XData Is My Go-To Choice for Building Web Services in Delphi

After years of working with various frameworks and tools for building web services, I've come to a clear conclusion: TMS XData is the best tool for the job—if you're a Delphi developer. Now, I'll be upfront—I've been doing extensive work with the company that distributes TMS XData, so there's certainly a personal connection here. But my preference isn't just based on familiarity or convenience. There are solid, practical reasons why I keep reaching for XData whenever I need to build robust, professional web services in the Delphi ecosystem.

Let me be clear from the start: I'm talking specifically about the best solution for Delphi developers. Other languages have their own excellent options—Node.js has Express, Python has Flask and FastAPI, .NET has ASP.NET Core. Each language ecosystem has evolved its own tools optimized for its strengths. But if your world is Delphi, and you need to build web services that leverage your existing Delphi skills and codebase, TMS XData stands above the rest.

Why Mark J. Price’s “C# 14 and .NET 10” Belongs on Every Modern .NET Developer’s Desk

A Comprehensive Update That Justifies Its Place on Your Shelf

This is a book review for C# 14 and .NET 10 – Modern Cross-Platform Development Fundamentals by Mark J. Price (Packt Publishing)

As someone who has followed the evolution of development platforms across decades, I can confidently say this is the essential purchase for any C# developer looking to stay current with .NET 10. Even if you own the .NET 9 edition, this book earns its place in your library.

Why This Edition Matters

Mark Price has put considerable effort into updating every page for this new version—and it shows. This isn’t a lazy refresh with minor tweaks; it’s a thorough revision that covers the meaningful changes in C# 14 and .NET 10, from the new NumericOrdering option and OrderedDictionary enhancements to field modifiers, partial events, and instance constructors.

The book excels at its stated purpose: providing an easy-to-follow guide through the fundamentals. It strikes that sweet spot between beginner-friendly and substantive enough for intermediate developers to learn something new.

Migrationsstrategie und Planung: Von Delphi zu Next.js (Teil 5 von 5)

Das große Ganze

Wir haben TypeScript-Grundlagen, React-Komponenten und die Next.js-Architektur behandelt. Jetzt sprechen wir über das, was wirklich zählt: Wie Sie Ihre Delphi-Anwendungen tatsächlich ins Web migrieren, ohne dabei Ihr Unternehmen zu zerstören.

Hier geht es nicht mehr um Code. Es geht um Strategie, Risikomanagement und kluge Geschäftsentscheidungen.

Das Dilemma des Delphi-Entwicklers

Sie befinden sich in einer schwierigen Lage. Sie haben:

Vermögenswerte:

• Anwendungen, die perfekt funktionieren
• Jahre oder Jahrzehnte der Geschäftslogik
• Ein Team, das in Delphi produktiv ist
• Kunden, die (meistens) zufrieden sind
• Umsätze, die von diesen Systemen abhängen

Druck:

• Kunden fragen nach Web-/Mobilzugang
• Schwierigkeiten beim Einstellen von Delphi-Entwicklern
• Steigende Lizenzkosten
• Moderne UX-Erwartungen
• Konkurrenz mit neueren Plattformen

Sorgen:

• "Können wir uns eine komplette Neuentwicklung leisten?"
• "Was ist, wenn die Migration fehlschlägt?"
• "Wird sich unser Team anpassen?"
• "Können wir beide Systeme während der Übergangszeit pflegen?"
• "Was ist, wenn wir Kunden während der Umstellung verlieren?"

Das sind berechtigte Sorgen. Lassen Sie uns sie systematisch angehen.

Migration Strategy and Planning: From Delphi to Next.js (Part 5 of 5)

The Complete Picture

We've covered TypeScript fundamentals, React components, and Next.js architecture. Now let's talk about what really matters: how to actually migrate your Delphi applications to the web without destroying your business in the process.

This isn't about code anymore. This is about strategy, risk management, and making smart business decisions.

The Delphi Developer's Dilemma

You're in a tough spot. You have:

Assets:

• Applications that work perfectly
• Years or decades of business logic
• A team that's productive in Delphi
• Clients who are (mostly) happy
• Revenue that depends on these systems

Pressures:

• Clients asking for web/mobile access
• Difficulty hiring Delphi developers
• Rising licensing costs
• Modern UX expectations
• Competition using newer platforms

Concerns:

• "Can we afford a complete rewrite?"
• "What if the migration fails?"
• "Will our team adapt?"
• "Can we maintain both systems during transition?"
• "What if we lose clients during the change?"

These are legitimate concerns. Let's address them systematically.

Next.js verstehen: Struktur und Architektur (Teil 4 von 5)

Das große Ganze

Sie haben TypeScript (Teil 2) und React Components (Teil 3) gelernt. Jetzt lassen Sie uns verstehen, wie Next.js alles zu einem vollständigen Application Framework zusammenbringt.

Denken Sie an Next.js als das Äquivalent zu Delphis Projektstruktur, Runtime Library und Deployment Tools - alles kombiniert. Es ist nicht nur eine Library - es ist ein vollständiges Framework für das Erstellen von Web-Anwendungen.

Warum Next.js zusätzlich zu React?

React ist eine UI Library - sie hilft Ihnen beim Erstellen von Komponenten. Aber eine echte Anwendung braucht mehr:

• Routing (Navigation zwischen Seiten)
• Data Fetching (Laden von Informationen aus Datenbanken)
• API Endpoints (Backend Logic)
• Deployment und Optimierung

Next.js stellt all das zur Verfügung. Es ist wie der Unterschied zwischen nur der VCL versus der kompletten Delphi IDE und Runtime.

Understanding Next.js: Structure and Architecture (Part 4 of 5)

The Big Picture

You've learned TypeScript (Part 2) and React components (Part 3). Now let's understand how Next.js brings it all together into a complete application framework.

Think of Next.js as the equivalent of Delphi's project structure, runtime library, and deployment tools all combined. It's not just a library—it's a complete framework for building web applications.

Why Next.js on Top of React?

React is a UI library—it helps you build components. But a real application needs more:

• Routing (navigating between pages)
• Data fetching (loading information from databases)
• API endpoints (backend logic)
• Deployment and optimization

Next.js provides all of this. It's like the difference between having just the VCL versus having the complete Delphi IDE and runtime.