I'm 26 and feeling a bit uncertain about my previous direction, so I'm looking for a fresh start in programming. I learned Pascal in school, and that knowledge carried over reasonably well to Delphi during college. However, I no longer want to continue with Delphi and would like to learn a modern language with a similar structure, if that makes sense. What language would you recommend, and does it matter whether it feels familiar to Pascal or Delphi?
5 Answers
If you mainly want to stay near the Delphi ecosystem while changing languages, C++Builder is worth considering. It uses C++ but shares the same general application framework style as Delphi, which may make the transition easier.
C is fairly close to Pascal in overall structure. The keywords and syntax differ, but many basic constructs map over directly, so it could be a comfortable bridge if you want something more foundational and lower level.
C# is probably the closest modern fit. Anders Hejlsberg, who created Delphi, also played a major role in designing C#, so the syntax and general approach should feel familiar. If you worked with Delphi’s visual application frameworks, concepts from the VCL may also translate reasonably well to Windows Forms or WPF.
Free Pascal is another option if you still enjoy Pascal itself but want an alternative to Delphi. It lets you continue using a familiar language while exploring a different compiler and development environment.
You don’t necessarily need to choose a language based on similar syntax. Most programming concepts transfer, and the main adjustment is learning new conventions and tools. Python is a strong general-purpose choice today, especially if you want to build useful projects quickly. The best option ultimately depends on what kind of software you want to create.
Python is a good way to get started, but some people worry that a high-level language can hide details such as memory and data representation. Since you already have programming experience, learning Python first and then studying those fundamentals more deeply could be a practical compromise.