Immediately add to favorites
Learn tutorials well every day
In the 1990s, it was a more powerful RAD tool than Visual C++; today, C++Builder, though marginalized, still survives fiercely in fields such as industrial control and medical devices. In the early 21st century, I implemented a mathematical model for “enemy aircraft threat assessment and target allocation” using C++Builder, which is still operational in the HQ17 air defense system.
You might likeSelected past articles▼
VBA tool collection, complex tasks done in one click, making colleagues amazed at Excel automation
Data as a blade, Yulinqin captures the bull—detailed introduction to the Yulinqin intelligent selection system
Transforming Excel from a “tractor” to a “supercar”: Formula acceleration method 11
A picture, two sentences, three steps, let you identify all “circular references” in Excel within 30 seconds
No manual work! One-click batch split N sheets → PDF → automatically send emails
Financial killer: VBA helps you fully automate the three statements (balance sheet/profit and loss statement/cash flow statement)
No password cracking for worksheet protection? — VBA unlocking techniques in legal scenarios
Images can also be databases: Using Excel and VBA to achieve batch generation and printing of QR codes/barcodes
Where are the programming languages of the VB era now? C++ and Java are still at their peak, while COBOL is surprisingly still ‘surviving’!
Have Delphi and PowerBuilder developers disappeared? Some have switched to food delivery, while others earn millions annually from old systems!
The history of FoxPro’s demise: From a universal database to being ignored, where have its developers gone?
The fall of the Borland empire: Turbo C++, Delphi, JBuilder… who killed the king of development tools?
1. What is C++Builder?
C++Builder is a Rapid Application Development (RAD) tool launched by Borland (later inherited by Embarcadero), characterized by:
● Visual development : Drag-and-drop controls + real-time preview, greatly reducing the threshold for C++ GUI development
● High-performance compilation : Uses an optimized Clang compiler, generating code efficiency close to native VC++
● Cross-platform support : Can compile applications for Windows/macOS/iOS/Android
● Powerful database support : Built-in FireDAC components directly connect to SQL Server/Oracle, etc.
Analogy:
“If Visual Studio is a Swiss Army knife, C++Builder is a customized power tool kit for C++ developers”
2. Glorious History: From Peak to Decline
Golden Age (1997-2005)
● First version released in 1997, crushing MFC at the time with theVCL framework.
● In 2002, market share reached35% for C++ development tools (IDC data)
● Typical users:
○ German industrial control software (such as some Siemens HMI interfaces)
○ Taiwan stock trading systems
○ Chinese power monitoring systems
Reasons for Decline
● Borland’s strategic missteps : Sold the development tools division in 2006
● Microsoft’s crushing : Offered free Express versions after Visual Studio 2005
● Slow transition to cross-platform : Android/iOS support was not fully developed until the 2010s
3. Who Will Still Use C++Builder in 2025?
●Industrial control systems
○ Software for a certain automotive production line: 200,000 lines of C++Builder code, maintenance costs are 60% lower than rewriting
● Medical devices
○ The image processing module of a Japanese electronic endoscope is still based on the VCL framework
● Legacy system maintenance
○ A certain bank’s ATM transaction system in South Korea (annual maintenance cost exceeds one million RMB)
Typical User Profile
[A 45-year-old German engineer]
● Learned C++Builder in 1999
● Now earns €120 per hour maintaining factory control programs
● Computer system: Windows 7 (due to compatibility issues with newer versions)
4. Technical Anatomy: Overview of Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
✅ Extremely high development efficiency
// Traditional C++ to create a button vs C++Builder // MFC requires 20 lines of code // C++Builder only needs: Button1->Caption = "Click me"; Button1->OnClick = &MyButtonClick;✅ Rich component ecosystem
● Over 5000 third-party controls (such as reporting tool FastReport)
✅ Compatibility monster
● Some 1990s code can still be compiled
Fatal Flaws
❌ Lack of modern features
● Limited support for C++20
● Lack of cloud-native development capabilities
❌ Gap in learning resources
● Latest books are stuck at the 2010 edition
● The number of replies to related questions on Stack Overflow has decreased by 72% annually
5. Future: Will It Become the Next Delphi?
Signs of Survival
● Embarcadero is still releasing annual versions (C++Builder 11.5 supports Win11)
● There are still training institutions in China offering “Industrial Control C++Builder” courses
Alternatives
● Qt : More suitable for modern cross-platform development
● Visual Studio + CLR : Microsoft’s RAD solution
Industry Forecast
“C++Builder will not suddenly die, but will gradually shrink into a ‘high maintenance cost – high reward’ niche area”
The story of C++Builder is a classic case of technological path dependence. When you see a precision instrument or ATM suddenly blue screen in 2025, it may be a 50-year-old C++Builder programmer starting their debugging work today—using tools from 20 years ago to safeguard the infrastructure of the 21st century.
You might likeSelected past articles▼
One-click solution! VBA automation tool collection
Ultimate guide to Excel plugin development: Building professional-level VBA tools from scratch
Practical performance optimization for Excel plugins: How to make VBA add-ins lightning fast
VBA memory management black technology: How to prevent crashes when processing large datasets
Don’t be fooled by Excel anymore! The so-called “hidden plug-in” is actually quietly ruining your data
How to live gracefully in Excel—common mistakes in data processing
Scan the QR code
Follow the video account
Excel
Gas station
Become a member for one-on-one service
Long press
Follow
Immediately add to favorites
Learn tutorials well every day