Quick start manual

Introduction 1-1
Chapter
1
Chapter1 Introduction
This manual describes the Delphi programming language as it is used in Borland
development tools.
What’s in this manual?
The first seven chapters describe most of the language elements used in ordinary
programming. Chapter 8 summarizes standard routines for file I/O and string
manipulation.
The next chapters describe language extensions and restrictions for dynamic-link
libraries and packages (Chapter 9), and for object interfaces (Chapter 10). The final
three chapters address advanced topics: memory management (Chapter 11),
program control (Chapter 12), and assembly-language routines within Delphi
programs (Chapter 13).
Using Delphi
The Delphi Language Guide is written to describe the Delphi language for use on either
the Linux or Windows operating systems. Differences in the language relating to
platform dependencies are noted where necessary.
Delphi application developers write and compile their code in the integrated
development environment (IDE). Working in the IDE allows the product to handle
many details of setting up projects and source files, such as maintenance of
dependency information among units. Delphi programming products may enforce
certain constraints on program organization that are not, strictly speaking, part of the
language specification. For example, certain file and program-naming conventions
can be avoided if you write your programs outside of the IDE and compile them from
the command prompt.