VCL (Visual Component Library) is a visual component-based framework for developing Microsoft Windows applications, developed by Borland for use in its Delphi and C++ Builder software development environment. It is written in Object Pascal. Software component representations: above the representation used in UML, below the representation commonly used by Microsofts COM objects. ... Windows redirects here. ... Borland Software Corporation is a software company headquartered in Austin, Texas. ... Delphi is the primary programming language of Borland Delphi. ... C++ Builder, often abbreviated BCB, is a popular rapid application development (RAD) environment produced by Borland for writing programs in the C++ programming language. ... “Software development” redirects here. ... Object Pascal is an object oriented derivative of Pascal mostly known as the primary programming language of Borland Delphi. ...

Much of the popularity of the VCL comes from its tight integration with visual RAD tools from Borland. Rapid application development (RAD), is a software development process developed initially by James Martin in the 1980s. ...

A cross-platform equivalent of the VCL called CLX (Component Library for Cross Platform) was later developed for use in Delphi, C++ Builder and Kylix, it was however abandoned in favor of the VCL. Component Library for Cross Platform (CLX), is a cross-platform visual component-based framework for developing Microsoft Windows and Linux applications. ... Kylix is a Linux version of the Borland Corporations Delphi and C++ Builder development environments for Microsoft Windows. ...

As an object-oriented approach, the VCL forms an object hierarchy where all other objects inherit or indirectly inherit the TObject class (thus, TObject is a superclass). This is a common approach shared by the Java programming language, Smalltalk, and many other object-oriented programming languages. Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a computer programming paradigm in which a software system is modeled as a set of objects that interact with each other. ... In computer science, a superclass is a class from which other classes are derived. ... Java is an object-oriented programming language developed by James Gosling and colleagues at Sun Microsystems in the early 1990s. ... For other uses, see Small talk. ... Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a computer programming paradigm in which a software system is modeled as a set of objects that interact with each other. ...

VCL components cover Windows controls like windows (TForm class), controls (e.g., TButton, TCheckBox, TLabel classes) as well as database access (e.g., ADO or IBX components) or Internet connections (Indy components). The component approach allows programmers to extend the VCL with many visual and non-visual additional components. The best known component packages are JEDI or TMS. In object-oriented programming, a class consists of encapsulated instance variables and subprograms, the methods mentioned below. ... This article is about computing. ... Internet Direct or Indy is an Open source Internet socket library written in Object-Oriented Pascal. ...

While not all VCL components are thread-safe, VCL supports multi-threading too. Thread-safety is a computer programming concept applicable to multi-threaded programs. ... Many programming languages, operating systems, and other software development environments support what are called threads of execution. ...

See also

• Delphi
• CLX
• Object Windows Library
• Software component
• C++ Builder
• Delphi for PHP

Delphi is the primary programming language of Borland Delphi. ... Component Library for Cross Platform (CLX), is a cross-platform visual component-based framework for developing Microsoft Windows and Linux applications. ... The Object Windows Library (OWL) is a Borland C++ object-oriented framework originally designed for WinAPI. It was used in Turbo Pascal for Windows, Borland Pascal and their Borland C++ package. ... Software component representations: above the representation used in UML, below the representation commonly used by Microsofts COM objects. ... C++ Builder, often abbreviated BCB, is a popular rapid application development (RAD) environment produced by Borland for writing programs in the C++ programming language. ... Delphi for PHP is an IDE and rapid application development framework for the PHP programming language developed by CodeGear, a division of Borland Software Corporation. ...

External links

• Delphi 1.0 Visual Component Library Reference
• JEDI Visual Component Library (JVCL) and JEDI Code Library (JCL) - huge open source collection of components based on VCL
• CodePedia C++ VCL page (no Pascal page yet)