An introduction to the Delphi Language

Welcome to the sixth chapter of the FREE online programming course:
A Beginner's Guide to Delphi Programming.
Before you start developing more sophisticated applications by using the RAD features of Delphi, you should learn the basics of the Delphi Pascal language.

Delphi language, a set of object-oriented extensions to standard Pascal, is the language of Delphi. Delphi Pascal is a high-level, compiled, strongly typed language that supports structured and object-oriented design. Its benefits include easy-to-read code, quick compilation, and the use of multiple unit files for modular programming.

Here's a list of tutorials, an introduction to Delphi Pascal, that will help you learn Delphi Pascal. Each tutorial will help you to understand a particular feature of Delphi Pascal language, with practical and easy to understand code snippets.

Object Pascal Variable Scope: now you see me, now you don't.

Typed constants
How to implement persistent values between function calls.

Loops
Repeating operations in Object Pascal in Object Pascal in Object Pascal in Object Pascal.

Decisions
Making decisions in Object Pascal or NOT.

Functions and Procedures
Creating user defined subroutines in Object Pascal.

Routines in Delphi: Beyond the Basics
Extending Object Pascal functions and procedures with default parameters and method overloading.

The basic layout of a Pascal/Delphi program.

String Types in Delphi
Understanding and managing string data types in Delphi's Object Pascal. Learn about differences between Short, Long, Wide and null-terminated strings.

Ordinal and Enumerated Data Types
Extend Delphi's built-in types by constructing your own types.

Arrays in Object Pascal
Understanding and using array data types in Delphi.

Records in Delphi
Learn about records, Delphi's Pascal data structure that can mix any of Delphi's built in types including any types you have created.

Variant Records in Delphi
Why and when to use variant records, plus creating an array of records.

Pointers in Delphi
An introduction to pointer data type in Delphi. What are pointers, why, when and how to use them.

Writing and using recursive functions in Object Pascal.

   Some exercises for you...
Since this Course is an online course, there is much you can do to prepare for the next chapter. At the end of each chapter I'll try to provide several tasks for you to get more familiar with Delphi and the topics we discuss in the current chapter.

   To the next chapter: A Beginner's Guide to Delphi Programming
This is the end of the sixth chapter, in the next chapter, we'll deal with more sophisticated articles on the Delphi language.

A Beginner's Guide to Delphi Programming: Next Chapter >>
>> Sophisticated Delphi Pascal techniques for Beginners