Nick Hodges, the Delphi Product Manager, mentioned several times the benefits of newer Delphi versions compared with Delphi 6/Delphi 7 (the most used pre-dotnet versions). The following list shows most of the enhancements, ordered by category first, then alphabetically:
Compiler and Language Features Since Delphi 7[]
- Generics
- Anonymous methods
- Enhanced RTTI
- Attributes
- Records with methods
- for in loop
- final methods
- Inlining
- Operator overloading
- sealed methods
- strict private
- strict protected
Related to Classes[]
- Nested classes
- Class helpers
- Class constructors and destructors
- Static class methods
IDE Features Since Delphi 7[]
- IDE Insight -- fast access to almost anything in the IDE with a few keystrokes
- Delphi and C++ class browsers
- MSBuild Engine Support
- Audits and Metrics
- Block Completion
- Code Formatter
- Build Configuration Management
- Editor Line Numbers
- Flexible docking IDE
- Integrated management for Windows resources
- UML Modeling
- Integrated File Browser
- History Tab
- Improved Debugging
- Integrated Unit Testing
- Line Change indicators
- Live Templates
- Modeling (Class and UML)
- Refactoring
- SyncEdit
- Searchable Tool Palette
- VCL Designer Guidelines
- Improved bookmarks
VCL and RTL Features Since Delphi 7[]
- Complete support throughout for Unicode
- Gesturing support
- Touch Keyboard and Touch NumPad
- TWICImage class supports Windows Imaging Component library
- TImage support for TIFF and PNG
- VCL applications are themed by default
- Support for Aero Interface including glassing
- Support for Vista file dialogs and Task Dialog
- Pure VCL Ribbon Controls implementation
- AlignWithMargins
- Fastcode replacements for a number of RTL functions
- Intellimouse support
- Margin/Padding values in VCL
- TButtonGroup
- TCategoryButtons
- TDockTabSet
- TFlowPanel
- TGridPanel
- TTrayIcon
- TCategoryPanelGroup
- TButtonedEdit
- TLinkLabel
- TBallonHint
- Theming support for all TGrid descendents
- SnapBuffer/ScreenSnap properties
- TIcon support for Alphachanneling
New Debugger Features Since Delphi 7[]
- Name your threads for easy debugging
- Freeze/thaw specific threads
- Set breakpoints to break only on specific threads
- Choose specific threads to debug
- Debugger Visualizers let you write plug-ins to view any data type
- Includes visualizers for TStrings and Date/Time datatypes
- Drag and Drop existing breakpoints to new locations
Database/DataSnap Enhancements Since Delphi 7[]
- Complete re-architecting of the dbExpress framework
- dbExpress MetaData classes allow for programmatic control of databases
- New DataSnap architecture with Server Methods
- No COM Dependencies
- Support for any server method using dbExpress type system
- Support for filtering of stream between client and server
- HTTP and TCP/IP connectivity
- Server callbacks
- MIDAS.DLL source code included
- New Crossplatform database framework FireDAQ including drivers for SQLite und NoSQL databases
- dbExpress Driver Support for
- Firebird 1.5 and 2.0
- Oracle 10g and 11g
- MS SQL Server 2000, 2005, and 2008
Third Party Updates[]
- Brilliant Code for Delphi (IDE Expert)
- Castalia Borland Edition (IDE Expert)
- Code Healer Borland Edition (IDE Expert)
See also[]
- Nick's original blog post on the subject
- Nick's updated blog post
- Nick Hodges
- Steve Trefethen's blog post on the subject
- Debugger enhancements since Delphi 7
- Delphi 7
- Delphi 2007 for Win32
- CodeGear RAD Studio 2007
| Delphi Versions | |
|---|---|
| Win16 | Delphi 1 |
| Win32 | Delphi 2 • Delphi 3 • Delphi 4 • Delphi 5 • Delphi 6 • Delphi 7 • Delphi 2007 for Win32 |
| .NET | Delphi 8 |
| Win32 + .NET: | Borland Developer Studio 2005 • Borland Developer Studio 2006 • CodeGear RAD Studio 2007 • CodeGear RAD Studio 2009 |
| Other: | Kylix • Delphi for PHP • 3rdRail • Turbo Delphi 2006 |
| More info: | Release Dates and Codenames • Compiler Release Dates • Compiler Conditional Defines |