The Enduring Argument for Pascal: A Reexamination after 55 Years
In the ever-evolving world of technology, it's not uncommon to see old technologies making a comeback. One such example is Pascal, a programming language first released by Niklaus Wirth in 1970. Despite its age, Pascal has managed to maintain its relevance and carve out a niche for itself in the modern world.
For experienced programmers, Pascal is a reasonable choice for cross-platform development. Its versatility is evident in its use on various platforms, such as going bare metal on the Raspberry Pi, and even on microcontrollers like the Arduino. This expansion of its application beyond traditional computing is a unique advantage of Pascal in 2025.
The tip for using Pascal on Arduino and Raspberry Pi was provided by Stephen Walters. For those unfamiliar with these platforms, the Arduino is a series of open-source electronics platforms based on easy-to-use microcontrollers, and the Raspberry Pi is a series of small, affordable, single-board computers.
Object Pascal, the modern iteration of the language, supports modern features such as object-oriented programming. This makes it an attractive option for programmers who value a language with a solid foundation but also capable of meeting the demands of contemporary development.
One of the key benefits of Pascal is its strong typing and strict rules for declaration. These features teach good programming habits, a trait that has made Pascal a popular choice in education before the rise of Python. In fact, two generations of high school students learned Pascal before Python became popular.
The commercial version of Pascal, Delphi, is still around. Companies such as Agrosoft GmbH use Object Pascal (Delphi) in 2025 for developing agricultural software solutions. Delphi is also maintained and marketed by Embarcadero Technologies, part of Idera, Inc., and continues to be used in industry for application development.
Index.dev claims that Object Pascal has climbed up to number nine this year, just behind Go. This ranking is a testament to the language's resilience and adaptability in the face of newer, trendier languages.
Moreover, Free Pascal allows coding on Linux or Mac and deploying on Windows, or vice-versa. This cross-platform compatibility is another factor that contributes to Pascal's enduring popularity.
Free Pascal and the Lazarus IDE bring graphical, drag-and-drop ease to any modern platform. This user-friendly interface makes Pascal accessible to a wider audience, further contributing to its resurgence in 2025.
In conclusion, Pascal, despite being an older language, continues to be a viable option for programmers in 2025. Its strong typing, strict rules for declaration, and cross-platform compatibility make it an attractive choice for both experienced and new programmers alike. Its versatility, as demonstrated by its use on platforms like the Raspberry Pi and Arduino, is a testament to its adaptability in the ever-changing tech landscape.
