Embarcadero Technologies is best known for its software development tools and database, even if the company also offers solutions for system modeling. With a new integrated development environment (IDE), the company hoping to capture the mobile market and ease the burden of application developers with a cross operating system platform.

The cross-platform IDE called Appmethod allows developers to use the same code to develop applications, which once compiled, will run on iOS, Android and workstations running Windows or Mac OS.

With the new IDE by Embarcadero Technologies, developers no longer need to prepare their apps for each operating system. Appmethod will allow them to create applications compatible with multiple platforms. With the first version of Appmethod, developers will be able to write and maintain a single code base for iOS systems, Android, Mac OS and Windows (desktop version). This first version uses the Object Pascal programming language. But an update, scheduled for June, will add the C+ + language.

Changes the approach to building applications

Appmethod greatly simplifies and accelerates the development of various devices, allowing developers to create applications for all the most popular platforms on the basis of a single code. This is critical for companies and independent developers in terms of efficient use of resources. Developers can create applications to 5 or 20 times faster than other tools on the market for development, dramatically reducing the overall cost of development.

Unlike other solutions, Appmethod does not require JavaScript interpreters or virtual machines. Developers can build native applications and can execute apps directly on the CPU. These native-applications work quickly with fast response times that provide the highest level of user interaction required for modern solutions. Appmethod tool uses modern object-languages ​​compiled directly to the processor. The set of API can provide common functionality to different platforms.

A developer can compile the source code for different platforms while still having the ability to customize each program with the look-and-feel of the platform. For example, if a programmer wants to use a feature in an OS and not in others, she may call the native API of the OS directly from the Pascal programming language.

Connectors for Oracle, SQL Server, DB2 and Informix databases

The pack includes connectors for databases including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2 and Informix. It also includes more than 100 user interface controls (such as buttons, list views, tab management and others). To facilitate the exchange of data between applications and external sources, Appmethod recognizes SOAP (Simple Object Access) protocols, REST (Representational State Transfer), JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), App42 Kinvey services and Parse API.

Embarcadero also provides a set of middleware services that can be used in conjunction with applications built with Appmethod. Enterprise Mobility as a Service that provides caching, management of in-memory data, and analysis functions.

Embarcadero Technologies is not the first to try to sell a tool for cross-platform development targeting mobile environments. Xamarin and SAP already offer a plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio and Oracle, an extension of the cross-development framework for application development.

Image credit: Embarcadero Technologies, Inc Appmethod brochure page, http://www.appmethod.com/