In the last few years, companies are increasingly seeking the most cost-effective ways to optimize the way they make powerful applications. Cost-effective demands high productivity and a fast app development environment. Furthermore, using Windows App Development Tools to create Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux applications from a single code base allows you to enter the market quickly and target a potential audience of millions of users. The Delphi programming language and FireMonkey native and cross-platform framework are absolutely designed to make this kind of thing happen. We will never forget, the “RAD” in “RAD Studio” is an acronym for “rapid application development” and always has been.
If you have spent time looking through cross-platform development tools, most of them are mobile-centric and do not target desktop audiences. For enterprises, being able to target both mobile and desktop environments is like taking control over everything.
But, everything comes with ups and downs. Designing for a mobile framework which is then reused to create a desktop app often results in applications which do not behave like a real native app for the desktop. If we look closer, the fundamental problem is that the native UI controls behave differently depending on which platform they is hosting them. Things that work quite naturally on a mobile platform, such a slide or three-finger swipe, might work with a double-click, right-click or even key combination on the desktop. If you’ve designed your interface mobile-first and focusing on the slide/swipe interaction it’s going to look very broken or act awkwardly when it translates into the desktop click/right-click/keypress user interface interactivity metaphor.
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Cross-Platform Tools
A substantial number of programmers start with web development and, typically, those developers know JavaScript. So, using web technologies to create cross-platform applications is naturally much easier for web developers. Sometimes it is also better for companies that they do not need time to teach other technologies to get into the mobile market.
But, FireMonkey (FMX) is by far one of the best “Write Once, Deploy Everywhere” software development systems on the market. The impressive architecture of the framework is leading success stories and businesses around the globe.
FireMonkey can tap into the GPU to deal with user interface and work with 3D graphics. The 3D graphics of FMX are built into its very core, that is why all visual components can be used in the 3D space. Moreover, it can also get into the underlying operating system so that you can achieve high performance and platform look and feel.
Furthermore, one of the best features of the FMX is that it is easy to access underlying operating system features and device functionalities through just interfaces. The high level of abstractions in the FMX framework provides fast accessibility for developers.
To put it in a nutshell, Delphi and C++ Builder with FireMonkey allows you to have a single codebase and yet compile for all the major platforms in seconds. FMX is not limited to mobile and desktop platforms, it offers a wide range of support for IoT, Embedded development and also works with smartwatches.
How to create a fully functional native cross-platform app in under 30 seconds with a low-code experience?
FireMonkey App Low-Code Wizard – is a tool to create a new fully-functional Delphi mobile application with multiple screens using the Low Code Wizard. Once built, the app is easy to modify and demonstrates coding best practices.
Time for action!
How to start developing with Delphi or C++ Builder?
If you are ready to explore one of the best native and cross-platform development – Delphi & C++ Builder, just head over to the official web page and register for the Community Edition!
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FireMonkey App Low-Code Wizard – the link goes to a dead page
Sorry about that. I’ve made sure the team are aware. They are going to look into it.