C++Builder is a
rapid application developmentRapid application development is a software development methodology that uses minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. The "planning" of software developed using RAD is interleaved with writing the software itself...
(RAD) environment, developed by
BorlandBorland Software Corporation is a software company first headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, Cupertino, California and finally Austin, Texas. It is now a Micro Focus subsidiary. It was founded in 1983 by Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, Mogens Glad and Philippe Kahn.-The 1980s:...
and owned by
Embarcadero TechnologiesEmbarcadero Technologies is an American computer software company that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services related to software through its various dynamic product divisions...
, for writing programs in the
C++C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
programming language. C++Builder combines the
Visual Component LibraryVCL is a visual component-based object-oriented framework for developing Microsoft Windows applications. It was developed by Borland for use in, and tightly integrated with, its Delphi and C++Builder RAD tools...
and IDE written in Delphi with a
C++C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
compiler. Traditionally, the release cycle was such that Delphi got major enhancements first, with C++Builder following, though recent versions have been released at the same time as their Delphi equivalents. Most components developed in Delphi can be used in C++Builder with no or little modification, although the reverse is not true.
C++Builder includes tools that allow true drag-and-drop visual development, making programming easier by incorporating a
WYSIWYGWYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
GUI builder into its
IDEAn integrated development environment is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development...
.
Technology
C++Builder uses the same IDE as Delphi, and shares many core libraries. Notable shared Delphi (Pascal code) and C++ Builder routines include the FastMM4
memory managerIn IBM PC compatible computing, DOS memory management refers to software and techniques employed to give applications access to more than 640K of "conventional memory". The 640kB limit was specific to the IBM PC and close compatibles; other machines running MS-DOS had different limits, for example...
, which was developed as a community effort within the
FastCodeFastCode is an open source programming project aimed at providing enhanced runtime library routines for Embarcadero Delphi and C++ Builder. Since it was started in 2003 by Dennis Kjaer Christensen, it has contributed highly optimised functionality to the Delphi RTL...
project, the entire UI framework known as the
VCLVCL is a visual component-based object-oriented framework for developing Microsoft Windows applications. It was developed by Borland for use in, and tightly integrated with, its Delphi and C++Builder RAD tools...
, which is written in Pascal, as well as base system routines, many of which have been optimised for both Delphi and C++Builder through the
FastCodeFastCode is an open source programming project aimed at providing enhanced runtime library routines for Embarcadero Delphi and C++ Builder. Since it was started in 2003 by Dennis Kjaer Christensen, it has contributed highly optimised functionality to the Delphi RTL...
project.
C++Builder projects can include Delphi code. The Delphi compiler emits C++ headers, allowing C++ code to link to Delphi classes and methods as though they were written in C++. The reverse (C++ code being used by Delphi) is not possible.
History
C++Builder originally targeted only the
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
platform. Later versions incorporated Borland
CLXComponent Library for Cross Platform , is a cross-platform visual component-based framework for developing Microsoft Windows and Linux applications. It is developed by Borland for use in its Kylix, Delphi, and C++ Builder software development environment....
, a cross-platform development visual component library based on
QtQt is a cross-platform application framework that is widely used for developing application software with a graphical user interface , and also used for developing non-GUI programs such as command-line tools and consoles for servers...
, that supports Windows and Linux, however CLX is now abandoned. A cross-platform version for Linux and OSX is reportedly planned.
In 2003 Borland released
C++BuilderX (CBX), which was written using the same framework as
JBuilderJBuilder is an integrated development environment for the programming language Java, from Borland, and then CodeGear. Codegear was purchased by Embarcadero Technologies in 2008....
and bore little resemblance to either C++Builder or Delphi. This product was aimed at developing large programs for enterprises, but did not sell well. At the end of 2004 Borland announced that it would continue to develop the earlier C++Builder and bundle it with the
DelphiEmbarcadero Delphi is an integrated development environment for console, desktop graphical, web, and mobile applications.Delphi's compilers use its own Object Pascal dialect of Pascal and generate native code for 32- and 64-bit Windows operating systems, as well as 32-bit Mac OS X and iOS...
development suite, abandoning C++BuilderX.
About a year after the announcement Borland released
Borland Developer Studio 2006 which includes
Borland C++Builder 2006 that provides improved configuration management and bug fixes.
Borland Developer Studio 2006 is a single package containing Delphi, C++Builder, and C#Builder.
In 2006 Borland's Developer Tools Group, developers of C++Builder, was transferred to a wholly owned subsidiary,
CodeGearCodeGear is a wholly owned division of Embarcadero Technologies. CodeGear develops software development tools such as the Delphi IDE, the programming language Delphi, and the database server InterBase. Originally a division of Borland Software Corporation, it was launched on 14 November 2006...
.
In 2007 CodeGear released
C++Builder 2007, providing full API support for Microsoft Vista, increased ANSI C++ conformance, up to 500% faster in-IDE build performance, support for MSBuild, DBX4 database architecture, and "VCL for the Web" which supports
AJAX- Mythology :* Ajax , son of Telamon, ruler of Salamis and a hero in the Trojan War, also known as "Ajax the Great"* Ajax the Lesser, son of Oileus, ruler of Locris and the leader of the Locrian contingent during the Trojan War.- People :...
. The API support for Microsoft Vista includes themed applications and seamless VCL support for Aero and Vista Desktop.
CodeGear RAD Studio 2007 incorporates
C++Builder 2007 and
Delphi. Also in 2007 Borland revived the "Turbo" brand and released two "Turbo" editions of C++Builder: Turbo C++ Professional, and Turbo C++ Explorer (no longer available from CodeGear), based on
Borland C++Builder 2006.
In 2008 CodeGear was purchased by Embarcadero Technologies, who continued development.
C++Builder 2009 was released in August 2008, with the most notable improvements being full Unicode support throughout VCL and RTL, early adoption of the
C++0xC++11, also formerly known as C++0x, is the name of the most recent iteration of the C++ programming language, replacing C++03, approved by the ISO as of 12 August 2011...
standard, full ITE (Integrated Translation Environment) support, native
RibbonIn GUI-based application software, a ribbon is an interface where a set of toolbars are placed on tabs in a tab bar. Recent releases of some Microsoft applications have embraced this form with a modular ribbon as their main interface. The Ribbon is a contextual interface that offers functionality...
components and the inclusion of the Boost library.
C++Builder 2010 then followed in August 2009, adding in particular the touch and gesture support newly introduced to the VCL and a C++ specific class explorer. C++Builder XE was released in August 2010. The latest release is C++ Builder starter which is a cut down version of C++ Builder XE and was released in January 2011.
Version history
The following is a rough outline of product release information.
| Year |
Version |
| 1997 |
1 |
| 1998 |
3 |
| 1999 |
4 (released as Inprise) |
| 2000 |
5 |
| 2002 |
6 |
| 2003 |
X |
| 2005 |
2006 (10) |
| 2007 |
2007 (11) |
| Aug. 2008 |
2009 (12) |
| 24 Aug. 2009 |
2010 (14) |
| 30 Aug. 2010 |
XE (15) |
| 31 Aug. 2011 |
XE2 (16) |
See also
- Embarcadero Delphi
- Visual Component Library
VCL is a visual component-based object-oriented framework for developing Microsoft Windows applications. It was developed by Borland for use in, and tightly integrated with, its Delphi and C++Builder RAD tools...
- Comparison of integrated development environments
The following tables list notable software packages that are nominal IDEs; standalone tools such as source code editors and GUI builders are not included.- ActionScript :- Ada :- Basic :- C/C++ :...
External links