Surprised with the Title? Yes without knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScriptyou can build from Delphi/C++Builder your Web Front end using some of the Client/Server(FullStack) or Client-Focused third party web frameworks. Curious to know how these frameworks do this? This post will help you to understand.
What does a web front end framework does exactly: Visual Layout Designed in IDE to render in the browser with HTML, JavaScript & CSS.
- Using Delphi or other visual designers to create a visual layout.
- No need to know HTML, CSS, or javascript, may allow customization through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- No special client plugins required.
- Some create both server and client-side functionality.
- Some use pascal to Javascript Transpilers.
Transpilers : Transcompiler(translating compiler) or source to source compiler
- Converts or Translates one programming language to another one.
- Usually, only a sunset or special dialect of the source language is supported.
- Platform-specific libraries not supported.
- Frequently used to convert high level, type-safe, languages into javascript. Examples: Typescript or CoffeeScript transpilers.
Some of the Pascal to JavaScript Compilers listed Below :
Commercial:
- SMS : The Smart Mobile Studio
- Elevate Web builder: From Elevate Soft
- TMS WEB Core
OpenSource:
- EXtPAscal : https://github.com/farshadmohajeri/extpascal
- P2JS : p2js.gelicon.biz
- Pas2JS : https://github.com/bytbox/pas2js
- Delphi Web script: https://www.delphitools.info/dwscript/
C++ to Javascript ; Based on LLVM , Open Source, Compiles C++ to JavaScript.
- Cheerp : https://leaningtech.com/pages/cheerp.html
- EmsScripten: https://emscripten.org/
Visual Design Front End Frameworks :
- AtoZed Software’s IntraWeb: Runs into IDE creating both front end and backed end, Modeled on VCL, Visual Client Designer. The client built from the JS and HTML library. Delphi UI event handlers run on servers, extensible via typescript. Supported by Third Party like TMS Software.
- Thinfinity Virtual UI By CybeleSoft: Transforms you desktop application into a web application. Includes Javascript Remote Object (jsRO) framework. Full HTML 5 cross-browser client. Server redirects GDI/GDI+ calls to Javascript client.
- FMSoft UniGui: Installs into Delphi IDE, VCL like design and use. Provides data-aware controls, supports desktop and mobile. Allows optional javascript for client-side events and VCL like server event handlers.
SMS (Emphasis on Node.js and cloud-based development) and Elevate Web Builder ( Emphasis on data-driven development) uses Delphi like IDE to design the UI and an Object Pascal to JavaScript transpiler to Create HTML, CSS, Javascript.
Watch the video for Overview of web frameworks and some of the front end framework Demonstration.
To know more about the list of available frameworks for Delphi have a look on this post.