Download Old versions of Kylix (Free and Trial)
Date Released: 12 October 2001
File Size: 98.00 MB
Publisher: Borland
License: Freeware and Trial
Operation Systems: Linux
Category: DevOps
Versions: 2.0
Last Updated: June 13, 2025
Kylix is an integrated development environment and compiler created by Borland specifically for Linux. It brings Object Pascal and C++ Builder technologies, originally designed for Windows, into the Linux world. The goal was to offer Linux developers the same rapid application development capabilities that Delphi users enjoyed on Windows.
Borland first announced Project Kylix on September 28, 1999, promising a high-performance Linux RAD environment supporting C, C++ and Delphi development. The initial release of Kylix shipped in March 2001, followed by Kylix 2 in October 2001 and Kylix 3 in August 2002. Development ceased around 2005, leaving Kylix as a notable but discontinued chapter in Linux IDE history.
Kylix 3 was offered in three main editions:
– Open Edition: free for personal use, now discontinued for legal distribution
– Professional Edition: added more libraries and debugging features
– Enterprise Edition: included over 190 CLX components and database connectivity tools
These editions came bundled with both Delphi (Object Pascal) and C++ compilers.
Kylix’s core components include:
– Object Pascal Compiler: a Linux-targeted version of Delphi’s compiler
– C++ Compiler: mirroring Borland C++ Builder features on Linux
– IDE: a port of Delphi 5 IDE implemented atop a Windows-API translation library (winelib)
– CLX Library: a cross-platform component framework built on Qt, modeled after Delphi’s VCL
The IDE launches natively under X Windows by mapping Windows API calls to Linux equivalents, while applications compiled with Kylix produce pure Linux binaries without external emulation dependencies.
Features and Capabilities
Kylix was designed as a rapid application development toolset, offering:
– Visual form designer with drag-and-drop components
– Object Inspector for property and event configuration
– Context-sensitive help and code completion facilities
– Integrated debugger, code navigation, and parameter tooltips
– Cross-platform CLX components for GUI and database connectivity
– Native performance through direct compilation to ELF binaries
While excellent for GUI applications and command-line utilities, Kylix was not suited for device drivers or kernel-level development due to its component-oriented focus.
Strengths and Limitations
Kylix delivered a familiar Delphi-style workflow on Linux and sped up GUI development with its rich component library. However, users encountered:
– IDE instability on certain window managers
– Slow debugger load times and occasional crashes
– Incomplete CLX compatibility with VCL-based Delphi code
– Dependency on winelib for the IDE environment, increasing complexity
These trade-offs limited adoption among developers seeking rock-solid Linux-native tools.
Installation and System Requirements
Kylix supported 32-bit x86 Linux distributions of its era (e.g., Red Hat 7.x). Key installation considerations included:
– Updating the system RPM to version 4.0.3 if using Red Hat to avoid installer errors
– Setting LD_LIBRARY_PATH to locate Qt-based shared objects
– Running the provided kylixpath script to configure environment variables
– Installing as non-root using setup.sh -m when RPM issues persisted
Proper setup of these environment variables ensured the IDE and compiled applications ran smoothly.
After Borland discontinued Kylix in 2005, the open-source Lazarus IDE paired with the Free Pascal Compiler emerged as the de facto replacement for Delphi/Kylix developers on Linux. Lazarus maintains a high degree of code compatibility with Delphi and continues to evolve, offering updated components and support. Embarcadero later explored Linux cross-compilation within RAD Studio, but Lazarus remains the primary path for Object Pascal RAD on Linux today.
Kylix stands as a pioneering effort to bring high-level RAD tools to Linux, blending Delphi and C++ Builder paradigms under the hood of a Qt-powered CLX framework. While its lifecycle was relatively short, Kylix influenced subsequent cross-platform strategies and paved the way for modern solutions like Lazarus. For those interested in revisiting or maintaining legacy Kylix projects, exploring Lazarus or Embarcadero’s cross-compilers offers a path forward with active community and vendor support.
