Expand Your Code Base with Linux Development in RAD Studio
Whether you're building robust server-side applications or designing desktop apps, RAD Studio lets Delphi developers target the Linux platform with the same tools they use for Windows. Here's how you can make the most of it:
Who this page is for
- Teams expanding backend/server workloads beyond Windows-only hosting.
- ISVs that need broader deployment options for customer environments.
- Developers exploring Linux targets with existing Delphi codebases.
Server Development on Linux
With the growing demand for scalable and secure server solutions, extending your applications to run on Linux servers is a strategic move. RAD Studio provides you with the tools needed to develop and deploy powerful server-side applications on Linux, leveraging the same code base you're already using for Windows. This means you can maintain consistency, reduce duplication, and streamline your development process, all while expanding your market reach to include Linux-based environments.
The benefit of recompiling is speed and performance over scripted languages and lower code development and maintenance costs from a single code base. For many applications it can be as simple as adding a new Target Platform and recompiling!
Linux Application Development in RAD Studio
Official documentation covering how to set up Linux targets, cross-compilation, and the PAServer deployment workflow.
docwiki.embarcadero.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvBbLfdQnAY
Linux Migration for Delphi Developers
First Linux milestone
- Start with one backend executable that has minimal platform-specific dependencies.
- Recompile and validate deployment scripts on Linux early.
- Add observability (logging/metrics) before broad rollout to production workloads.
FMX Linux for Desktop Applications
If you're developing desktop applications, RAD Studio's FMX Linux support is a game-changer. FMX Linux is popular for Desktop and also Kiosk applications. By migrating to Linux, you can take advantage of its reliability and cost-effectiveness while maintaining the rich, responsive cross-platform user interfaces that FireMonkey (FMX) is known for. If you are not using FMX today, your VCL skills will feel immediately at home. Its foundation copies the VCL concepts, making it very familiar to existing developers wanting to ramp up to multi-platform UI development quickly.
FireMonkey for Linux
FMXLinux provides capabilities for building GUI applications for Linux, extending RAD Studio’s (Delphi Edition) FireMonkey cross-platform framework.
docwiki.embarcadero.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uotHK_UNINo
How to create a real Linux app step by step guide
Why ISVs Should Consider Linux
Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) can greatly benefit from adding Linux to their supported platforms. The demand for cross-platform solutions is higher than ever, and being able to deliver your software on both Windows and Linux opens up new revenue streams. RAD Studio simplifies this process by allowing you to write your code once and deploy it across multiple platforms with minimal changes.
Cross-Platform Development
RAD Studio's cross-platform libraries are designed to work consistently across Windows, Linux, macOS, and mobile platforms. By using these libraries, you can keep your applications behaving the same way and performing reliably, regardless of the target platform.
To make your migration even smoother, the RAD Studio RTL contains a number of cross-platform libraries. Anything starting System. e.g. System.Classes is cross-platform. The same can be said for System. classes wherever possible. This approach minimizes the need for conditional defines and ensures that your code remains clean, maintainable, and compatible across both Windows and Linux.
Cross-platform caution If your code relies on inline assembly or Windows-only APIs in core modules, plan a small isolation/refactor pass before broad Linux rollout. Keeping platform-specific code at the edges reduces long-term maintenance cost.
By using RAD Studio's cross-platform capabilities, you can confidently extend your applications to include Linux, reach more users, and keep your software relevant on the platforms your customers expect.
Don't forget that InterBase, Embarcadero's robust and scalable database solution, is fully cross-platform, offering the same powerful features on Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android. This makes it easier than ever to manage your data across all your applications, regardless of the platform.