Embarcadero has released the Delphi 13 Community Edition, a free-of-charge version for building native applications using the Delphi language. Based on Delphi 13 Florence, the edition brings the free version forward from version 12.1.
The release includes a new 64-bit IDE for Windows, which comes with an associated Language Server and a larger address space for working with large projects. An updated 32-bit IDE is also included.
Mobile and Multi-Device Support
The Community Edition adds support for additional platforms and includes updated support for current mobile platforms. It features an updated Android toolchain targeting Android API level 35, which includes Android 15 features and support for 16 KB memory page sizes. This toolchain enables building native 32-bit and 64-bit ARM applications for Android, improving SDK and NDK integration, deployment tooling, Java library import, and the Java2OP bridge. ARM can also be set as a compiler target.
For Apple ecosystems, the edition supports iOS 18, allowing development for both physical devices and the iOS Simulator on Apple Silicon Macs. The release includes expanded iOS API headers and updated platform integration.
The FireMonkey framework serves as the foundation for multi-device development, allowing the creation of native applications from a shared codebase across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Embarcadero has optimized FireMonkey with GPU-accelerated copying of bitmaps and smoother animations. Developers can target current Android and iOS devices using this shared codebase.
For Windows-specific development, the VCL framework has been advanced in Delphi 13.
Licensing and Usage Restrictions
The Delphi 13 Community Edition includes a limited commercial-use license. It is intended for students, hobbyists, freelancers, small teams, academic use, and start-ups that meet specific requirements. Companies using the free edition may employ no more than five developers and have revenue of no more than $5,000.
Maximum number of developers allowed for companies using the free edition.
The license is limited to one year. While Embarcadero has regularly extended the one-year license for previous Community Edition versions, this edition is not intended as an extended trial. Organizations that already hold regular commercial Delphi licenses should not use this version. Unrestricted commercial licenses and additional capabilities are provided through Delphi Professional, Enterprise, and Architect.
Language and IDE Improvements
The Community Edition includes a professional IDE, visual designers, integrated compilers, and debuggers. Originating from Pascal, the Delphi language celebrated its 30th anniversary last year.
