Delphi – Community Edition
Markus Greschat, August 24, 2018
The Delphi Community Edition replaces the previous Starter Edition and is a fully functional IDE for building iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS apps from a single Delphi codebase. It is free and intended for all freelance developers, startups, students, and non-profit organizations. The Delphi Community Edition includes a code editor, powerful debugging tools, integrated access to popular local databases with live data at design time, Bluetooth and IoT functionalities, and a visual UI designer supporting pixel-perfect, platform-specific styling.
Key Features of the Delphi Community Edition
Fully Functional IDE: Provides professional-level development tools right from the start.
Cross-Platform Development: Build Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS applications from a single codebase.
Visual Design Support: Utilize Delphi’s VCL and FireMonkey frameworks for seamless design.
Integrated Debugging Tools: Debug applications on any device.
Database Application Development: Create database applications with local/embedded connections.
Hundreds of Pre-Built Components: Enhance applications and shorten development cycles.
Seamless Upgrade Path: When your applications and startup gain traction, you can easily switch to one of the paid editions without learning new tools or migrating code from different toolsets.
Commercial Use
The new Community Edition is not only for non-commercial use but also allows for commercial projects (with a maximum of 5 developers). However, it’s important to note that if the IDE is used commercially, the annual revenue must be less than 5000 USD (approximately 4300 EUR). This revenue limit applies not only to the income generated from the use of the Community Edition but also to all services provided by the developer, even when the Community Edition was not used. Therefore, this edition is mainly interesting for startups.
License Duration
Once installed, the Community Edition license lasts for one year. According to Embarcadero Germany, the edition will likely be updated annually. When the license expires, a new version (e.g., Community Edition 10.3) can be installed.
What Does the New Embarcadero Edition Offer?
Integrated and professional development tools right from the start.
Development of Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS applications using a single codebase.
Visual design capabilities with Delphi’s VCL and FireMonkey frameworks.
Integrated debugging tools for debugging on any device.
Database application development with local/embedded connections.
Hundreds of pre-built components to enhance applications and speed up development cycles.
Seamless upgrade path: When your applications and startup are successful, you can continue with the existing codebase using a paid edition, without the need to learn new tools or migrate code from various toolsets.
Editions Available
Delphi is available in four editions: Community, Professional, Enterprise, and Architect. Explanations of the differences between each edition can be found under Product Editions and in the Feature Matrix.
Further Details
More information can be found in the FAQ for the Community Edition, and you can download the Community Edition for free from Embarcadero's official website.
