# Object Pascal

> branch of object-oriented derivatives of Pascal programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q633894](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q633894)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_Pascal)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/object-pascal

## Summary

Object Pascal is a software application whose design was influenced by Smalltalk.

## Summary
Object Pascal is a branch of object-oriented derivatives of the Pascal programming language that emerged in 1986. It is a multi-paradigm, compiled programming language family supporting imperative, structured, procedural, object-oriented, generic and event-driven programming styles and has influenced and produced several dialects and tools such as Delphi and Pascal Script.

## Key Facts
- Instance: Object Pascal is classified as an object-based language, multi-paradigm programming language, imperative programming language, structured programming language, programming language, procedural programming, compiled language, event-driven programming language, and generic programming language.
- Inception: Object Pascal has an inception year of 1986 (source reference given).
- Developers / creators associated: Niklaus Wirth; Apple Inc.; Borland.
- Influenced by: Smalltalk.
- Primary programming paradigms: imperative programming (preferred), object-oriented programming (preferred), multi-paradigm programming (preferred), structured programming (preferred), procedural programming (preferred), generic programming (preferred), and event-driven programming.
- Typing discipline: dynamic typing (listed), static typing, strong typing, and safe typing.
- File extensions commonly associated: .p, .pp, .pas.
- Compilers and toolchains: Free Pascal is a free compiler and IDE for Pascal and ObjectPascal (inception: 1997).
- Major dialects and related languages: Delphi (dialect of Object Pascal, used in Embarcadero Delphi; inception: 1995), Turbo Pascal OOP (inception: 1989), Pascal Script (scripting language based on Object Pascal; inception: 2000), Smart Pascal (dialect derived from Delphi Web Script).
- Related / influencing languages and projects listed: Smalltalk (inception: 1972), Java (inception: 1995), Nim (inception: 2008), XProfan (inception: 1990).
- Ecosystem libraries and tools: Lazarus Component Library (visual component library for the Lazarus IDE), Megido (historic visual IDE for Free Pascal), fpGUI (graphical user interface toolkit in Object Pascal).
- Image resource: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Delphi7Screenshot.jpg
- Aliases: ObjectPascal; Pascal Objet; オブジェクト パスカル; Объектный Паскаль.
- Name in kana (Japanese): オブジェクト パスカル.
- Wikipedia title: Object Pascal; sitelink_count: 33; available Wikipedia languages include ar, cs, da, de, en, eo, es, fa, fi, fr, hu, io, it, ja, ko, ms, nl, no, pl, pt, ro, ru, sk, sq, sr, sv, tg, th, tr, uk, vi, zh.
- Commons category: Pascal Script.
- Topic's main category: Category:Object Pascal.
- Identifiers and metadata: ysa_id Y109140; yso_id 16500; babelnet_id 03472690n; freebase_id /m/02yjg_ (publication 2013-10-28); github_topic: object-pascal; microsoft_academic_id (discontinued): 2780168620; nl_cr_aut_id: ph117950 (qualifier: Object Pascal (programovací jazyk)).
- Wikidata short description: "branch of object-oriented derivatives of Pascal programming language".
- Free Pascal inception date: +1997-01-01 (as given in source).
- Delphi inception date: 1995 (as given in source).
- Pascal Script inception date: 2000 (as given in source).
- Turbo Pascal OOP inception date: 1989 (as given in source).

## FAQs
Q: What is Object Pascal?
A: Object Pascal is the family of object-oriented derivatives of the Pascal language, first appearing in 1986. It is a compiled, multi-paradigm programming language supporting imperative, structured, procedural, object-oriented, generic and event-driven programming.

Q: Who developed Object Pascal?
A: The development and evolution of Object Pascal are associated with Niklaus Wirth, Apple Inc., and Borland, as listed in the source material. These organizations and individuals contributed to its design and implementations.

Q: What are the common dialects and implementations of Object Pascal?
A: Notable dialects and implementations include Delphi (a dialect used in Embarcadero Delphi, inception 1995), Free Pascal (a free compiler and IDE, inception 1997), Pascal Script (a scripting language based on Object Pascal, inception 2000), Turbo Pascal OOP (inception 1989), and Smart Pascal (derived from Delphi Web Script).

Q: What typing and paradigm characteristics does Object Pascal have?
A: Object Pascal is listed with multiple typing disciplines—dynamic, static, strong, and safe typing—and supports multiple paradigms including imperative, object-oriented, structured, procedural, generic, and event-driven programming.

Q: What file extensions and tooling are associated with Object Pascal?
A: Source files commonly use the extensions .p, .pp, and .pas. Tooling and ecosystem projects tied to Object Pascal include Free Pascal, Lazarus Component Library, Megido (a historic visual IDE for Free Pascal), and fpGUI.

Q: How is Object Pascal connected to other languages?
A: Object Pascal was influenced by Smalltalk, and it is related to or has produced dialects and related languages such as Delphi, Turbo Pascal OOP, Pascal Script, Smart Pascal, and is contextually connected to languages like Java, Nim, and XProfan in the provided material.

Q: Where can I find canonical metadata or identifiers for Object Pascal?
A: Identifiers and metadata listed for Object Pascal include ysa_id Y109140, yso_id 16500, babelnet_id 03472690n, freebase_id /m/02yjg_, github_topic object-pascal, and a discontinued Microsoft Academic ID 2780168620.

## Why It Matters
Object Pascal matters because it extended the Pascal language into practical object-oriented and component-oriented software development, enabling Pascal-based systems to adopt object-oriented design patterns and event-driven architectures. Its emergence in 1986 provided a formalized path from procedural Pascal to object-oriented dialects, which in turn enabled the creation of influential development environments and ecosystems—most notably Delphi—which became a popular RAD (rapid application development) platform. Implementations such as Free Pascal maintained free, cross-platform compiler support for the language family, preserving Pascal-based codebases and enabling modern development with Object Pascal dialects. The language’s support for multiple paradigms (imperative, structured, procedural, object-oriented, generic, event-driven) and its combination of static, dynamic, strong and safe typing made it flexible for a range of application domains. Object Pascal’s influence and dialects created a body of tooling and libraries (for example, Lazarus Component Library and fpGUI) that allowed developers to build graphical and component-based applications, which is why the language continues to be relevant in certain ecosystems and legacy codebases.

## Notable For
- Being defined as a branch of object-oriented derivatives of Pascal, formalized in 1986.
- Serving as the basis for Delphi, a major Object Pascal dialect used in Embarcadero Delphi (Delphi inception: 1995).
- Having Free Pascal (inception: 1997) as a free compiler and IDE that supports Pascal and ObjectPascal code.
- Providing a multi-paradigm design that includes imperative, object-oriented, structured, procedural, generic, and event-driven programming.
- Combining multiple typing disciplines in its ecosystem: dynamic, static, strong, and safe typing as recorded in the source.
- Influenced by Smalltalk, which contributed to its object-oriented features.
- Common source file extensions: .p, .pp, .pas.
- Being connected to scripting and derivative languages such as Pascal Script (inception: 2000) and Smart Pascal (derived from Delphi Web Script).
- Supporting an ecosystem of libraries and tools such as Lazarus Component Library, fpGUI, Megido, and Free Pascal.

## Body

### Overview
Object Pascal is described as a branch of object-oriented derivatives of the Pascal programming language. It is represented in structured metadata as an object-based language and a multi-paradigm programming language that embraces imperative, object-oriented, structured, procedural, generic and event-driven programming models. The language family is compiled and listed among programming languages that implement the imperative paradigm.

### History and Origins
- Inception: The source lists Object Pascal with an inception year of 1986.
- Developers and contributors: Niklaus Wirth, Apple Inc., and Borland are identified as entities associated with the development or evolution of Object Pascal in the provided material.
- Influences: Smalltalk is explicitly listed as an influence on Object Pascal, reflecting the language’s adoption of object-oriented concepts.

### Design, Paradigms, and Typing
- Paradigms: Object Pascal supports a broad set of paradigms. The preferred paradigms noted are imperative programming and object-oriented programming; it is also categorized as multi-paradigm and supports structured, procedural and generic programming, as well as event-driven programming.
- Typing disciplines: The language family is recorded as having dynamic typing in the source, while also being associated with static typing, strong typing, and safe typing. These entries indicate that Object Pascal dialects and implementations combine or provide options across typing disciplines in practice.
- Compilation: Object Pascal is classified as a compiled language, meaning implementations translate source code to binary/executable forms.

### Dialects and Implementations
- Delphi: Listed as a dialect of Object Pascal and used in Embarcadero Delphi; inception given as 1995. Delphi is one of the best-known commercial descendants of Object Pascal.
- Free Pascal: Identified as a free compiler and IDE for Pascal and ObjectPascal, with an inception date listed as 1997. Free Pascal is a prominent open-source implementation supporting Pascal and Object Pascal sources.
- Turbo Pascal OOP: Appears with an inception date of 1989 and represents an early object-oriented extension in the Turbo Pascal family.
- Pascal Script: Cited as a scripting language based on Object Pascal with an inception date of 2000.
- Smart Pascal: Identified as a dialect derived from Delphi Web Script.
- Other related or adjacent languages cited: Java (inception 1995), Nim (inception 2008), XProfan (inception 1990). These appear in the source as related languages or items in the language’s network.

### Ecosystem, Libraries and Tools
- Lazarus Component Library: Described as a visual software component library for the Lazarus IDE; it is part of the Object Pascal ecosystem for GUI and component-based development.
- fpGUI: Noted as a graphical user interface toolkit implemented in Object Pascal.
- Megido: Listed as a historic visual IDE for Free Pascal, indicating tooling history in the community.
- Free Pascal: The free compiler and IDE is a core component of the ecosystem.
- Additional tooling and related projects included in the source: Megido, Lazarus Component Library, fpGUI, and other editors/IDEs such as PSPad, RJ TextEd, and Dev-C++ are listed among related items in the source.

### Related Projects, Applications and Software Connections
The provided material associates a broad range of projects and software entries with Object Pascal in its connected data. These include, but are not limited to:
- Delphi (dialect), Free Pascal (compiler/IDE), Lazarus Component Library, fpGUI, Megido.
- Applications and projects listed among related entries: FL Studio, Total Commander, Inno Setup, UltraStar Deluxe, Ultrastar España, HeidiSQL, Pivot Animator, HxD, PyScripter, Dev-C++, PSPad, RJ TextEd, fpGUI, and many others.
Note: the source lists these items as related entries; the provided material does not specify the exact nature of each relationship in every case.

### Influence and Relationships
- Influence: Object Pascal lists Smalltalk as an influence, which is consistent with Object Pascal’s object-oriented features.
- Downstream dialects: Delphi and Pascal Script are explicit examples of dialects and derivatives that grew out of the Object Pascal family.
- Community and cross-references: Multiple compilers, IDEs, libraries, and third-party projects are connected to Object Pascal in the source, demonstrating a broad ecosystem around dialects and tooling.

### Identifiers, Metadata and Resources
- Image: Delphi 7 screenshot resource is listed: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Delphi7Screenshot.jpg.
- Aliases and multilingual names: ObjectPascal; Pascal Objet; オブジェクト パスカル; Объектный Паскаль; Japanese kana: オブジェクト パスカル.
- Identifiers: ysa_id Y109140; yso_id 16500; babelnet_id 03472690n; freebase_id /m/02yjg_ (2013-10-28); microsoft_academic_id 2780168620 (discontinued); nl_cr_aut_id ph117950; github_topic object-pascal.
- Wikipedia and Commons: Wikipedia title "Object Pascal"; commons category "Pascal Script"; topic main category "Category:Object Pascal"; sitelink_count 33; multilingual Wikipedia presence in many languages (list included above).

### Categorization and Short Description
- Short description per source: "branch of object-oriented derivatives of Pascal programming language".
- Categorized as both an object-based language and a multi-paradigm programming language with strong ties to imperative and object-oriented programming.

### Additional Notes and Source Context
- The provided material lists a number of related software projects and development tools connected to Object Pascal. Some entries include inception dates and sites of origin; others are listed as related items without further detail in the supplied data.
- Several projects and tools in the source are explicitly tied to the Object Pascal ecosystem (for example, Free Pascal, Delphi, Pascal Script, Lazarus Component Library, fpGUI, Megido). Other listed items appear in the data as related entries and may reflect projects, applications, or tools that the source associates with the language.

(End of entry.)

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013