​​Wow, HarmonyOS 2.0 beta released 😲 This new mobile operating system by Huawei supports Android apps, and can be installed on China smartphones, including P40, Mate30, and MatePad Pro. The beta is available on Gitee, and intended to app developers 👉
https://gitee.com/openharmony/docs/tree/master/docs-en

Hmm, should we expect Firemonkey to support this new OS? Check out this short video - the first look at Huawei HarmonyOS 2.0 mobile beta. It seems, the UI has no significant changes. Probably, they change it later...
https://youtu.be/_7y8jxV-CWM

​​Have a merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year 🎄🎄🎄

​​Woah, the Object Pascal Handbook by Marco Cantu can be downloaded for free. Just submitted the download request. A good reading for holidays.

🤔 Still waiting for the link...
https://lp.embarcadero.com/Object-Pascal-Handbook-2021

​​Howdy to everyone!

In this first 2021'th post I'd like to share one interesting GitHub project. Embarcadero Dev-C++ represents a fast, portable, simple, and free C/C++ IDE, which is made in ❤️Delphi❤️ It provides a code editor for the C/C++ programming language and uses Mingw port of GCC as its compiler.

Check out their repository. The recently released version 6.2 is available, as well 👍
https://github.com/Embarcadero/Dev-Cpp

Recently, I've read about GraphQL, an alternative to REST APIs:
https://medium.com/javascript-in-plain-english/stop-using-rest-for-apis-d697727ae6dd

The main difference is that in GraphQL, you get what you request, and nothing extra. This API was introduced several years ago and has implementations in different programming languages. I've tried to learn, what about Delphi:
https://graphql.org/code/#language-support

It seems, the standard REST Client Library cannot be used directly to send GraphQL queries. We have to use HTTPClient, or any to communicate via GraphQL, as it's made in the following simple GitHub project: https://github.com/bogdanpolak/graphql-delphi

If you know a good GraphQL implementation in Delphi, please share your experience 👍

Check out an interesting video by Marco Geuze, an Embarcadero MVP and the co-owner of GDK Software.

The video describes how to write code that is easy to understand and easy to change. This is especially important, if you are working on a project and your client comes back with some changes.

There are lots of examples and use cases, which I think, may be useful to even experienced devs 👍
https://youtu.be/3GpYKQDpIcA

​​When developing a program, which works with DB, the main headache to me is to optimize SQL queries.🧐

Recently, I've read one interesting article, where the author describes how to improve the query execution performance, find and create missing indices, and discusses some performance tuning techniques.

If your project utilizes SQL Server, MYSQL, or PostgreSQL as a data storage, this article may be helpful for you 👌
https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/article/sql-server-create-missing-index-from-actual-execution-plan/

There was a lot of work this week. Today is Friday, and I just watched an interesting video by Embarcadero Tech 😲

If you are working on a Python project, and you need a user interface, check out DelphiVCL for Python.
The video shows examples that describe how to use VCL components with Python 👍
https://youtu.be/NP9QKsKsSVg

​​Yesterday, CodeProject has published an interesting article about a new object-oriented scripting language, VRCalc++. This interpreter engine can be easily embedded in any Delphi app using Delphi packages. It uses the same operators as C++ and Java and extra objects related operators implemented using Delphi object interfaces 💪
https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/1272020/VRCalcplusplus-Object-Oriented-Scripting-Language

I decided to try this scripting language. Probably, this is a good candidate to embed in to the TaskRunner utility. Currently, TaskRunner already supports both the RemObjects PascalScript and the SpiderMonkey JavaScript engines.
https://github.com/CleverComponents/Task-Runner

The VRCalc++ sources and also a set of demo projects, including both VCL and FMX, are available on SourceForge 👍
https://sourceforge.net/projects/delphi-vrcalcxx-oosl-and-more/

​​In addition to one of my previous posts about Delphi VCL for Python. Today, I've read the other interesting Machine Learning article. If you are using Python in your ML project, no matter in which IDE you are, you may find it useful to learn about different types of regression you can use in your code 👉
https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/article/wha/

More details on the regression implementation can be found here 👌
https://scikit-learn.org/

Yesterday, good guys from tsilang.com have udated their interesting TsiLang Components Suite. The library provides a simple and powerful localization solution in your Delphi app 🔥

In the new version, we have improved Translations Editor and TsiLang Expert. Updated wizards and TsiLangCombo component. In addition, SIL Editor and Dictionary Manager were improved as well.

Check out their website to learn more about this library
https://www.tsilang.com

BTW: they provide a fully functional and no time-limit trial version 👍
https://www.tsilang.com/download-tsilang-components-suite/

​​If you are starting a new project, which targets to the Web, mobile, or Windows, this an upcoming webinar may be interesting for you.

Dr. Holger Flick, Bruno Fierens, and Pieter Scheldeman of TMS Software will discuss a cross-platform development with the TMS Framework Neutral components, answer your questions with live demos and real-time debugging 👍

Wed, Feb 10, 2021 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM CST. Image by EmbarcaderoTech.
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/415978646867264527

​​Unfortunately, one of the biggest Delphi component vendors, DevExpress, will not continue working on the FMX version of their exciting components 😥

Please read a conversation with Embarcadero’s Atanas Popov and DevExpress’ Ray Navasarkian about future vision of VCL component development, UX, and comparing complete libraries of components vs best-in-class components:
https://blogs.embarcadero.com/develop-best-in-class-applications-using-components/

​​Where usually component developers install their files? We install our sources in to the Program Files folder and both BPLs and examples - to Public Documents.

Please check out the following blog post, where the author provides an interesting information about places, where you should not put your Delphi components on PC. E.g., Windows 10 folders, which are synchronized with the OneDrive cloud storage 🤔

Where do you install your components, demos, and other Software-related files?
Please share your experience 👍
https://www.codedotshow.com/blog/where-not-to-put-your-delphi-components/

The good guys from tmssoftware have published an interesting video, which describes how to make a component for the Fitbit Web API service:
https://youtu.be/y7I5SwtTh80

This service is used to access data from Fitbit activity trackers. If you want more reading on this theme, refer the following article, which covers how to access Fitbit Web API using OAuth in Delphi 👍
https://flixengineering.com/archives/1489

Delphi is now 26 years old and Embarcadero is celebrating with blog posts and has asked developers to share your favorite quote, comment, story, or feature of Delphi. Woah, you can get 26% off Delphi and all products from Ebarcadero until February 28, 2021 🔥
https://www.ideasawakened.com/post/a-good-delphi-developer-is-usually-a-10x-developer

​​Wow, RAD Studio 10.4.2 Sydney Release 2 is available right now! Check out the Marco Cantu's blog post for quick feature overview. There are new components, expanded Firemonkey support, and many more 🔥

We still waiting for 10.4 CE... 🤔
https://blogs.embarcadero.com/announcing-the-availability-of-rad-studio-10-4-2-sydney-release-2/

​​DevArt has updated their data access component list with support for new RAD Studio 10.4.2
https://blog.devart.com/delphi-dac-support-for-rad-studio-10-4-2.html

😲 Wow, I didn't know about VirtualDAC components! Does anybody use these components? What's difference from TClientDataSet?
Please share your experience.

https://www.devart.com/virtualdac/

Today, I've watched one interesting video by Alister Christie, Delphi MVP, about a new RAD Studio 10.4.2 visual control.

TControlList indeed looks very cool 🔥 and allows for dynamically sized lists and only renders what is required. There are lots of places in my apps, where I might use it!
https://youtu.be/PfHV9AhV2NM

Yesterday has started a new TCoffeeAndCode dev chat. The 52 minutes episode can be watched on YouTube 👍
https://youtu.be/lyi46VABrxU

👌 The next session was scheduled on March 23rd. Ian Barker (MVP) and Dr Holger Flick (TMS) will discuss modern UI designs and how to keep your UI looking modern.

Check out the Embarcadero dev blog for more details and registration:
https://blogs.embarcadero.com/tcoffeeandcode-developer-chats-in-march-2021/