View source for Free Pascal

{{Short description|Free compiler and IDE for Pascal and ObjectPascal}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox software
| logo = 
| name = Free Pascal
| screenshot = Free Pascal 3.2.2 help screen.png
| caption = Free Pascal 3.2.2 help screen
| developer = [[Florian Klämpfl]] & [[Volunteering|volunteer]]s
| programming language = [[Object Pascal]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1997}}
| latest release version = 3.2.2
| latest preview version = 3.3.1
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2021|05|20}}
| operating system = [[Cross-platform]], [[Embedded system|embedded]]
| genre = [[Compiler]], [[embedded operating system]]
| license = [[GNU General Public License]] for compiler and utility executables. [[GNU Lesser General Public License]] with static linking exception for runtime, package, component and other libraries that become part of executables created with compiler
}}

'''Free Pascal Compiler''' ('''FPC''') is a [[compiler]] for the closely related programming-language dialects [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] and [[Object Pascal]]. It is [[free software]] released under the [[GNU General Public License]], with [http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/licensing exception clauses] that allow static linking against its runtime libraries and packages for any purpose in combination with any other software license.

It supports its own Object Pascal dialect, as well as the dialects of several other Pascal family compilers to a certain extent, including those of [[Borland Pascal]] (named "Turbo Pascal" until the 1990 version 6), Borland (later Embarcadero) [[Delphi (software)|Delphi]], and some historical [[Macintosh]] compilers. The dialect is selected on a [[Modular programming|per-unit (module)]] basis, and more than one dialect can be used per program.

It follows a ''[[write once, compile anywhere]]'' philosophy and is available for many [[CPU architecture]]s and [[operating system]]s (see [[#Targets|Targets]]). It supports inline [[assembly language]] and includes an internal assembler capable of parsing several dialects such as AT&T and Intel style.

There are separate projects to facilitate developing [[cross-platform]] [[graphical user interface]] (GUI) applications, the most prominent one being the [[Lazarus (software)|Lazarus]] [[integrated development environment]] (IDE).

== Supported dialects ==
Initially, Free Pascal adopted the [[De facto standard|''de facto'' standard]] dialect of Pascal programmers, Borland Pascal, but later adopted Delphi's Object Pascal. From version 2.0 on, Delphi compatibility has been continuously implemented or improved.

The project has a ''compilation mode'' concept, and the developers made it clear that they would incorporate working patches for the standardized dialects of the [[American National Standards Institute]] (ANSI) and [[International Organization for Standardization]] (ISO) to create a standards-compliant mode.

A small effort has been made to support some of the [[Apple, Inc.|Apple]] Pascal syntax to ease interfacing to the [[Classic Mac OS]] and [[macOS]]. The Apple dialect implements some standard Pascal features that Turbo Pascal and Delphi omit.

The 2.2.''x'' release series did not significantly change the dialect objectives beyond roughly Delphi 7 level syntax, instead aiming for closer compatibility. A notable exception to this was the addition of support for [https://www.freepascal.org/docs-html/ref/refch8.html#x102-1240008 generics] to Free Pascal in version 2.2.0, several years before they were supported in any capacity by Delphi.

In 2011 several Delphi 2006-specific features were added in the development branch, and some of the starting work for the features new in Delphi 2009 (most notably the addition of the <code>UnicodeString</code> type) was completed. The development branch also has an ''Objective-Pascal'' extension for [[Objective-C]] ([[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]]) interfacing.

As of version 2.7.1, Free Pascal implemented basic ISO Pascal mode, though many things such as the <code>Get</code> and <code>Put</code> procedures, and the file-buffer variable concept for file handling were still absent.

As of version 3.0.0, ISO Pascal mode is fairly complete. It has been able to compile [https://standardpascal.org/ standardpascal.org]'s P5 ISO Pascal compiler with no changes.

== History ==

=== Early years ===
Free Pascal was created when Borland clarified that Borland Pascal development for [[DOS]] would stop with version 7, to be replaced by a [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]-only product, which later became Delphi.

Student [[Florian Klämpfl|Florian Paul Klämpfl]] began developing his own compiler written in the Turbo Pascal dialect and produced [[32-bit]] code for the GO32v1 [[DOS extender]], which was used and developed by the DJ's GNU Programming Platform ([[DJGPP]]) project at that time.

Originally, the compiler was a [[16-bit]] DOS executable compiled by [[Turbo Pascal]]. After two years, the compiler was able to [[Bootstrapping (compilers)|compile itself]] and became a 32-bit executable.

=== Expansion ===
The initial 32-bit compiler was published on the [[Internet]], and the first contributors joined the project. Later, a [[Linux]] port was created by Michael van Canneyt, five years before the [[Borland Kylix]] Pascal compiler for Linux became available.

The DOS port was adapted for use in [[OS/2]] using the [[EMX (programming environment)|Eberhard Mattes eXtender]] (EMX) which made OS/2 the second supported compiling target. As well as Florian Klämpfl the original author, Daniël Mantione also contributed significantly to make this happen, providing the original port of the run-time library to OS/2 and EMX. The compiler improved gradually, and the DOS version migrated to the GO32v2 extender. This culminated in release 0.99.5, which was much more widely used than prior versions, and was the last release aiming only for Borland Pascal compliance; later releases added a Delphi compatibility mode. This release was also ported to systems using [[Motorola 68000 family]] (m68k) processors.

With release 0.99.8 the [[Win32]] target was added, and a start was made with incorporating some Delphi features. Stabilizing for a non-[[Software release life cycle|beta release]] began, and version 1.0 was released in July 2000. The 1.0.''x'' series<!--and the bug-fix/stabilization releases that followed, last, 1.0.10 in July 2003--> was widely used, in business and education. For the 1.0.''x'' releases, the port to 68k CPU was redone, and the compiler produced stable code for several 68k [[Unix-like]] and [[AmigaOS]] operating systems.

=== Version 2 ===
During the stabilization of what would become 1.0.''x'', and also when porting to the [[Motorola]] 68k systems, it was clear that the design of the code generator was far too limited in many aspects. The principal problems were that adding processors meant rewriting the code generator, and that the register allocation was based on the principle of always keeping three free registers between building blocks, which was inflexible and difficult to maintain.

For these reasons, the 1.1.''x'' series [[Branching (software)|branched]] off from the 1.0.''x'' main branch in December 1999. At first, changes were mostly clean-ups and rewrite-redesigns to all parts of the compiler. The code generator and register allocator were also rewritten. Any remaining missing Delphi compatibility was added.

The work on 1.1.x continued slowly but steadily. In late 2003, a working [[PowerPC]] port became available, followed by an [[ARM architecture|ARM]] port in summer 2004, a [[SPARC]] port in fall 2004, and an [[x86-64]]-AMD64 port in early 2004, which made the compiler available for a 64-bit platform.

In November 2003, a first [[Beta testing|beta]] release of the 1.1.''x'' branch was packaged and numbered 1.9.0. These were quickly followed by versions 1.9.2 and 1.9.4; the latter introduced OS X support. The work continued with version 1.9.6 (January 2005), 1.9.8 (late February 2005), 2.0.0 (May 2005), 2.0.2 (December 2005), and 2.0.4 (August 2006).

=== Version 2.2.x ===
In 2006, some of the major reworks planned for 2.2, such as the rewrite of the unit system, had still not begun, and it was decided to instead start stabilizing the already implemented features.

Some of the motives for this [[plan|roadmap]] change were the needs of the Lazarus integrated development environment project, particularly the internal linker, support for [[Win64]], [[Windows CE]], and OS X on [[x86]], and related features like [[DWARF]]. After betas 2.1.2 and 2.1.4, version 2.2.0 was released in September 2007, followed by version 2.2.2 in August 2008 and version 2.2.4 in March 2009.

The 2.2.''x'' series vastly improved support for the [[ActiveX]] and [[Component Object Model]] (COM) [[Interface (computer science)|interface]], and [[Object Linking and Embedding]] (OLE), though bugs were still being found. The delegation to interface using the <code>implements</code> keyword was partly implemented, but was not complete {{As of|2011|3|lc=on}}.<ref>[http://bugs.freepascal.org/view.php?id=8951 bugs.freepascal.org]</ref> Library support for ActiveX was also improved.

Another major feature was the internal linker for Win32, Win64, and Windows CE, which greatly improved linking time and memory use, and make the compile-link-run cycle in Lazarus much faster. The efficiency for smart-linking, or [[dead code elimination]], was also improved.

Minor new features included improved DWARF (2/3) debug format support, and optimizations such as [[Tail call|tail recursion]], omission of unneeded [[stack frame]]s and register-based [[common subexpression elimination]] (CSE) optimization. A first implementation of [[generic programming]] (generics) support also became available, but only experimentally.

=== Version 2.4.x ===
The 2.4.x release series had a less clear set of goals than earlier releases. The unit system rewrite was postponed again, and the branch that became 2.4 was created to keep risky commits from 2.2 to stabilize it. Mostly these risky commits were more involved improvements to the new platforms, Mac PowerPC 64, Mac x86-64, iPhone, and many fixes to the ARM and x86-64 architectures in general, as well as DWARF.

Other compiler improvements included [[whole program optimization]] (WPO) and [[devirtualization]] and ARM [[embedded-application binary interface]] (EABI) support.

Later, during the 2.2 cycle, a more [[Delphi (software)|Delphi]]-like resource support (based on special sections in the binary instead of Pascal constants) was added. This feature, direly needed by Lazarus, became the main highlight of the branch.

Other more minor additions were a [[memory management|memory manager]] that improved [[Dynamic memory allocation|heap]] manager performance in [[Thread (computer science)|threaded]] environments, small improvements in Delphi compatibility such as <code>OleVariant</code>, and improvements in [[Interface (computer science)|interface]] [[Delegation (programming)|delegation]].

On January 1, 2010, Free Pascal 2.4.0 was released, followed on November 13, 2010, by bug fix release 2.4.2, with support for <code>for..in</code> loops, <code>sealed</code> and <code>abstract</code> classes, and other changes.<ref>[http://wiki.freepascal.org/User_Changes_2.4.2 User Changes 2.4.2]</ref>

=== Version 2.6.x ===
In January 2012, Free Pascal 2.6 was released. This first version from the 2.6 release series also supported [[Objective Pascal]] on OS X and [[iOS]] targets and implemented many small improvements and bug fixes. In February 2013, FPC 2.6.2 was released. It contained [[NetBSD]] and [[OpenBSD]] releases for the first time since 1.0.10, based on fresh ports. In March 2014, the last point release in the 2.6 series, 2.6.4, was launched, featuring mostly database (fcl-db) updates.

=== Version 3.0.x ===
Version 3.0.0 was released on November 25, 2015, and was the first major release since January 1, 2012.
It introduced many new language features.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FPC New Features 3.0.0 |author= |website=Free Pascal wiki |date= |access-date=28 February 2021 |url= https://wiki.freepascal.org/FPC_New_Features_3.0.0}}</ref>

Version 3.0.2 was released on February 15, 2017, and includes bug fixes and minor compiler updates.<br />
Version 3.0.4 was released on November 28, 2017.<br /> 
It includes many language improvements over previous versions, including an internal linker for [[Executable and Linkable Format]] (ELF), Arm AARCH64 for iOS and Linux, a revived i8086 platform, extended libraries and much more.

=== Version 3.2.x ===
The next major release, version 3.2.0, was published on June 19, 2020. It introduced many new language features, including generic routines, standard namespaces, managed records and expanded functionality for dynamic arrays, in addition to the advent of new standard units and the support of additional platforms.<ref>{{cite web |title=FPC New Features 3.2.0 - Free Pascal wiki |url=https://wiki.freepascal.org/FPC_New_Features_3.2.0 |website=wiki.freepascal.org|access-date=2020-06-20}}</ref>

Version 3.2.2 was released on May 20, 2021, and supports macOS on [[Apple M1|AArch64]] and naming of threads. Additionally it includes bug fixes and minor compiler updates.<ref>{{cite web |title=FPC New Features 3.2.2 - Free Pascal wiki |url=https://wiki.freepascal.org/FPC_New_Features_3.2.2 |website=wiki.freepascal.org|access-date=2021-12-30}}</ref>

== Targets ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Processor architecture
! Operating system, device
! Version 3.2.2 or 3.3.1 (Trunk)
! Version 3.0.0 - 3.2.0
! Version 2.6.2
! Version 2.6.0
! Version 2.4.4
! Version 2.4.2
! Version 2.4.0
! Version 2.2.4
! Version 2.0.''x''
! Version 1.0.''x''
|-
! rowspan="17" | [[i386]]
| DOS ([[GO32v2]] extender) || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[FreeBSD]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| OpenBSD || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| NetBSD || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| macOS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| OS/2 || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| Windows || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| Windows CE || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[BeOS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Haiku (operating system)|Haiku]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[NetWare]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[iPhone Sim]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[QNX Neutrino]] || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Android (operating system)|Android]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[AROS Research Operating System|AROS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="12" | x86-64
| [[Freebsd|FreeBSD]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| OpenBSD || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}}
|-
| NetBSD || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}}
|-
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{unk}} || {{No}}
|-
| macOS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Windows]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| iPhone Sim || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[AROS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
|[[DragonFly BSD]]|| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Solaris || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Haiku || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Android || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="9" | ARM
| [[iOS (Apple)|iOS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Game Boy Advance]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} <!--Unexplained: (GBA)--> || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Nintendo DS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{unk}} || {{No}}
|-
| Windows CE || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{unk}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Dalvik (software)|Android]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Embedded system|Embedded]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Embedded system Ultibo|Embedded Rasp-Pi]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| AROS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="4" | [[ARM architecture#64-bit|AArch64]]
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| iOS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Android || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{no}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| macOS || {{Yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="1" | [[Atmel AVR|AVR]]
| Embedded || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="7" | PowerPC
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}}
|-
| macOS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}}
|-
| Classic Mac OS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}}
|-
| AmigaOS 4 || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[MorphOS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{unk}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[AIX]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Wii]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | PowerPC 64-bit
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| macOS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| AIX || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="4" | SPARC
| Solaris || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| NetBSD || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Embedded || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="1" | SPARC64
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="1" | [[RISC-V]]
| Embedded || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="1" | RISC-V64
| Embedded || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Java virtual machine]]
| [[Java (software platform)|Java]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Android || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]] (BE and LE)
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Embedded || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | [[8086]] (16-bit)
| DOS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| [[Win16]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| Embedded || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="5" | [[Motorola 68000 series|m68k]]
| Linux || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| NetBSD || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| AmigaOS || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}
|-
| [[Atari TOS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}}<sup>limited cross-compiler only</sup>
|-
| [[Palm OS]] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Unknown}}
|-
! rowspan="3" | [[Zilog Z80|Z80]]
| Embedded || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| ZX Spectrum || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
| MSX-DOS || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
! rowspan="1" | [[WebAssembly]]
| Web browsers || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}}
|-
|-
|-
|}

Free Pascal also supports byte code generation for the [[Java Virtual Machine]] as of version 3.0.0 and targets both Oracle's Java and Google's Android JVM,<ref>[http://wiki.freepascal.org/FPC_JVM freepascal wiki: FPC JVM]</ref> although Object Pascal syntax is not fully supported. Free Pascal 3.0.0 also supports ARMHF platforms like the [[Raspberry Pi]], including ARMV6-EABIHF running on Raspbian. Work on 64-bit ARM has resulted in support for iOS in 3.0.0 as well. A native ARM Android target has been added, ending the formerly hacked ARM Linux target to generate native ARM libraries for Android. This makes porting Lazarus applications to Android (using Custom Drawn Interface<ref>[http://wiki.freepascal.org/Custom_Drawn_Interface/Android Custom Drawn Interface]</ref>) easier. Since FPC 2.6.2, [[OpenBSD]] and [[NetBSD]] are supported on IA32 and X86_64 architectures. A new target ''embedded'' has been added for usage without OS (ARM Cortex M and MIPS mainly). With InstantFPC it is possible to run Pascal programs, which are translated just in time, as Unix scripts or [[Common Gateway Interface|CGI]] back-end.

Ultibo core is an embedded or bare metal development environment for Raspberry Pi.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ultibo embedded Runtime Library |url=https://ultibo.org/ |website=Ultibo.org |publisher=Ultibo}}</ref>  Ultibo is based on Free Pascal and developed under a modified version of Lazarus.  The IDE is PC based but has been ported to Linux and Mac as well.  Ultibo is an OS-less runtime and has support for most functions and allows the programmer full control over the hardware via the RTL units.  The runtime implements multi-threaded, pre-emptive multitasking.  The programmer can put threads on a specific CPU or let the runtime divide the load automatically or a mix of the two.  Most Raspberry Pi models are supported including the A, B, A+ and B+ as well as the Raspberry Pi 2B, 3B, 4B/400/CM4 and Zero.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ultibo supported Pi boards |url=https://ultibo.org/faq/ |publisher=Ultibo.org}}</ref>

== Integrated development environments ==
Like most modern compilers, Free Pascal can be used with an [[integrated development environment]] (IDE). Besides independent IDEs there are also plugins to various existing IDEs

[[File:Lazarus_2.0_unter_Windows_10.png|thumb|right|[[Lazarus (software)|Lazarus]] IDE in [[Windows 10]]]]
*[[Lazarus (IDE)|Lazarus]] is the most popular IDE used by Free Pascal programmers. It looks and feels similar to the Delphi IDE, and can be used to create [[console application|console]] and [[graphical user interface|graphical]] applications, [[Windows service]]s, [[Daemon (computer software)|daemons]], and [[web application]]s. Lazarus provides a cross-platform user interface framework, called [[Lazarus Component Library]] (LCL). Graphical applications created with LCL can be ported to another platform via [[Write once, compile anywhere|recompiling]] or [[Cross compiler|cross compiling]].

[[File:FPIDE 1.0.10 de.png|thumb|right|Free Pascal IDE in [[Linux]] showing [["Hello, World!" program]] in [[German language|German]]]]
*Free Pascal has its own [[text-mode]] IDE resembling Turbo Pascal's IDE. It is made using the Free Vision framework (also included with Free Pascal), a Turbo Vision clone. In addition to many features of the Turbo Pascal IDE, it has code completion and support for multiple help file formats (HTML, [[Microsoft Compiled HTML Help]] (CHM), [[Information Presentation Facility]] (IPF). Instead of using command line tools, the IDE uses its own embedded compiler, based on the same source as the command line compiler and debugger (using libgdb or GDBMI) to provide its functionality.

*[[Dev-Pascal]] is a free Windows-only IDE for Free Pascal and [[GNU Pascal]], with no further development following the 2004 FPC version and the 2005 GPC version.

== Bundled libraries ==
Apart from a compiler and an IDE, Free Pascal provides the following libraries:

* [[Free Pascal Runtime Library]] (RTL): Basic low-level [[runtime library]] for general programming tasks
* [[Free Component Library]] (FCL): High-level software component library for general programming tasks

== Examples of software produced with Free Pascal ==
* [[Beyond Compare]] is a data comparison utility for Windows, OS X, and Linux. The Linux and OS X versions are compiled with Lazarus/FPC.
* [[Cartes du Ciel]] is a free [[planetarium]] program for Linux, OS X, and Windows. It maps and labels most constellations, planets, and objects visible by telescope. It was fully written in Lazarus/FPC, and released under GPL.
* [[Cheat Engine]] is a proprietary, source available, Freeware memory scanner, hex editor, and debugger. It can be used for cheating in computer games. Since version 6.0 it is compiled with Lazarus/FPC.
* [[Double Commander]] is an open-source multi-platform two-panel orthodox file manager inspired by the Microsoft Windows-only Total Commander.
* Free Pascal is written in [[Object Pascal]] and assembly language, and self-compiled.
* [[HNSKY]], Hallo Northern Sky is a free planetarium program for Windows and Linux. Since version 3.4.0 written & compiled with Lazarus/FPC.
* [[Lazarus (software)|Lazarus]]: Free Pascal's affiliated Delphi-like software package for rapid development of graphical applications.
* [[Morfik]]: Morfik WebOS AppBuilder uses Free Pascal to produce CGI binaries.
*[[MyNotex]] is a free software note-taking and notes manager for Linux.
* Early versions of the [[Nim (programming language)|Nim]] compiler were developed in Free Pascal, before it became [[self-hosting (compilers)|self-hosting]] in Nim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/tree/ea1f1ec6d4d6c776eb0f81c2bebdd4cb4c817ebe/nim|title=Nim Pascal source|website=[[GitHub]] }}</ref>
* [[Peazip]] is an open source archiver, made with Lazarus/FPC.
*[[TorChat]], previously written in Python, is now being rewritten in Free Pascal and Lazarus.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[fpGUI]] Free Pascal GUI toolkit – a cross-platform and custom-drawn toolkit implemented in Object Pascal
{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Free Pascal}}
{{Wikibooks|Pascal Programming}}

=== Official websites ===
* {{Official website}} FPC
* {{Official website|https://www.lazarus-ide.org}} Lazarus RAD IDE

=== General introduction ===
* [https://www.freepascal.org/docs.var Official documentation]
* [https://castle-engine.io/modern_pascal_introduction.html Modern Object Pascal Introduction for Programmers] - by Michalis Kamburelis

=== Sites specialized in game development ===
* [http://www.pascalgamedevelopment.com Pascal Game Development]
* [http://www.pascalgamer.com Pascal Gamer Magazine]
* [http://itaprogaming.free.fr/tutorial.html FPC 4 GBA Programming Tutorial] – an extensive tutorial into game programming on the Game Boy Advance with Free Pascal

{{Pascal programming language family}}
{{FOSS}}

{{Authority control}}

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