1. Pascal
A classic structured and object-oriented programming language, serving as a foundational language standard.
History of Pascal
- 1968–1970 Birth
Niklaus Wirth from Switzerland designed Pascal based on ALGOL for teaching structured programming. The first compiler launched in 1970, featuring strict syntax and strong static typing. - 1970s–1980s Popularization
It became the mainstream introductory language in universities worldwide. Borland released Turbo Pascal, a low-cost all-in-one IDE for PCs that gained rapid popularity. Object-oriented extensions (Object Pascal) were added later. - 1995 Commercial Branch: Delphi
Borland launched Delphi with refined Object Pascal and visual GUI development capabilities. It was the dominant tool for Windows desktop development and is now a commercial product by Embarcadero. - 1990s Open-Source Branch: Free Pascal(FPC)
Cross-platform open-source compiler supporting multiple syntax modes such as ObjFpc. Paired with the free Lazarus IDE, it is a direct alternative to Delphi and supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and embedded systems. - Current Status
Its use in education has declined, but Delphi is still widely adopted for enterprise Windows development, while FPC + Lazarus remains active for free cross-platform projects, game development, and embedded programming.
2. Free Pascal (FPC)
Free open-source Pascal compiler capable of parsing and compiling Pascal code, with built-in syntax modes including ObjFpc.
3. Lazarus
Free graphical IDE built on top of FPC, used to build cross-platform desktop applications for Windows, macOS and Linux. New projects use ObjFpc syntax by default.
4. Delphi
Paid commercial IDE + proprietary compiler developed by Embarcadero. Its syntax is highly compatible with FPC’s Delphi mode, focused on rapid Windows application development.
5 Turbo Pascal
Released by Borland in 1983, it was the first wildly popular all-in-one Pascal IDE for personal computers. Fast and affordable, it popularized Pascal learning and development under DOS, though it came much later than early academic compilers.
6 The World’s First Pascal Compiler
In 1970, Niklaus Wirth himself created ETH Pascal (CDC Pascal) at ETH Zurich, 13 years before Turbo Pascal.
Therefore, the core of any programming language is its compiler. Developing a new programming language essentially means writing a compiler.
Pascal is older than the C programming language. Its creator, Dr. Niklaus Wirth, passed away in 2024. We pay tribute to the respected Father of Pascal.
Getting to Know Free Pascal