https://github.com/delphi-blocks/blocks
Download, compile, and install versioned Delphi packages from GitHub into the IDE
https://github.com/delphi-blocks/blocks
Last synced: 8 days ago
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Download, compile, and install versioned Delphi packages from GitHub into the IDE
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/delphi-blocks/blocks
- Owner: delphi-blocks
- License: apache-2.0
- Created: 2026-03-28T16:36:53.000Z (3 months ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2026-05-30T09:50:43.000Z (16 days ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-05-30T11:22:37.028Z (16 days ago)
- Language: Pascal
- Homepage:
- Size: 815 KB
- Stars: 4
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# DelphiBlocks
> **Early preview — work in progress.**
A command-line package manager for Delphi / RAD Studio. DelphiBlocks automates downloading, compiling, and registering third-party Delphi packages sourced from a GitHub-hosted registry.
## How it works
1. Reads a JSON manifest from the [blocks-repository](https://github.com/delphi-blocks/blocks-repository).
2. Downloads the package source as a ZIP from GitHub.
3. Compiles it with MSBuild against the selected Delphi version.
4. Registers the library paths in the Delphi registry and records the installation in a local database (`.blocks/`).
5. Supports multiple Delphi IDE profiles via the `registrykey` workspace setting. Delphi allows launching with an alternative registry profile using the `-r` flag (e.g. `bds.exe -r MyProfile`).
6. Supports custom package repositories. In addition to the default registry, you can add your own GitHub-hosted repositories as package sources.
7. Supports multiple package versions and dependency management based on [SemVer](https://semver.org/): each package can publish many versions, and Blocks resolves the best match for a constraint and installs dependencies recursively. See [docs/versioning.md](docs/versioning.md).
8. Supports custom scripts: a manifest can run built-in commands (e.g. copying resources) at lifecycle events such as `afterCompile` or `afterInstall`. See [docs/script.md](docs/script.md).
## Requirements
- Windows
- Delphi / RAD Studio XE6 or later (BDS 14.0 – 37.0)
- MSBuild (bundled with RAD Studio)
## Usage
```
Commands:
install Install a package by id (vendor.name) or name.
uninstall Remove a package from the workspace and database.
init Initialise the workspace and download the package repository.
list List packages installed in the current workspace.
product [name[:key]...] Show detected Delphi installations.
search [pattern] Search the repository index by id, name, description or keywords.
config Read or write workspace or system configuration values.
view Show details of a package from the repository (latest if @version omitted).
version Print the version of the blocks executable.
upgrade Check for a newer release and download the setup if available.
help [command] Show this message, or detailed help for a specific command.
```
### Quick start
```bat
REM Install DelphiBlocks
winget install DelphiBlocks.Blocks
REM Initialise the workspace in the current directory (prompts for Delphi version)
blocks init
REM Install a package
blocks install owner.package
REM Install a specific version
blocks install owner.package@1.2.0
REM Uninstall
blocks uninstall owner.package
REM List installed packages
blocks list
REM Show detected Delphi installations
blocks product
REM Show all properties for each installation (active platforms, search paths, running status)
blocks product /detail
REM Show details for a specific version
blocks product delphi13
blocks product delphi13:blocks
REM Show details for multiple versions at once
blocks product delphi12 delphi13
REM View package info
blocks view owner.package@1.2.0
blocks view owner.package /versions
REM Manage repository sources
blocks config sources
blocks config /add sources=https://github.com/owner/my-repo
```
> **Version constraints & dependencies:** append `@` to a package id to pin or restrict the version (e.g. `owner.package@^1.2.0`). The full constraint syntax and how dependency resolution works are documented in [docs/versioning.md](docs/versioning.md).
For the full list of commands and options, see the [command-line reference](docs/cli.md), or run `blocks help `.
## Output layout
When `blocks install` compiles a package it overrides the MSBuild output paths so that artefacts live under predictable locations.
| Artefact | Output path |
|----------|-------------|
| BPL files | `.blocks\bpl\` (release) and `.blocks\bpl\debug\` (debug) |
| DCP files | `.blocks\dcp\` (release) and `.blocks\dcp\debug\` (debug) |
| DCU files | `.blocks\lib\\\` (release) and `.blocks\lib\\\debug\` (debug), where `` is the manifest's `name` |
The fixed `.blocks\` location makes installations under different IDE registry profiles (created with `bds.exe -r `) safe: each workspace gets its own `.blocks\` tree, so artefacts from different profiles never collide.
Both **debug** and **release** configurations are compiled for every package. After the build, Blocks registers the DCU search paths under `HKCU\Software\Embarcadero\\\Library\` together with the manifest's `sourcePath`.
## Package manifest
Each package in the repository is described by a JSON manifest file (`..manifest.json`). Below is an annotated example.
```jsonc
{
"$schema": "https://delphi-blocks.dev/schema/package.v1.json",
"id": "delphi-blocks.wirl", // vendor.name identifier
"name": "WiRL", // human-readable name
"version": "4.6.0",
"description": "RESTful Library for Delphi",
"license": "Apache-2.0",
"homepage": "https://wirl.delphi-blocks.dev",
"author": "Paolo Rossi, Luca Minuti ",
"keywords": ["rest", "http", "api"],
"repository": {
"type": "github",
"url": "https://github.com/delphi-blocks/WiRL/tree/v4.6.0"
},
// "sourcePath" entries are registered in the Delphi library "Browsing Path".
// DCUs are written by Blocks to \.blocks\lib\\[\debug].
"platforms": {
"Win32": {
"sourcePath": ["Source\\Core", "Source\\Client"],
"releaseDCUPath": ["lib\\Win32\\release"],
"debugDCUPath": ["lib\\Win32\\debug"]
}
},
// Each entry maps to a .dproj file under packages\\
"packages": [
{ "name": "WiRL", "type": ["runtime"] },
{ "name": "WiRLDesign", "type": ["designtime"] }
],
// Maps Delphi version names to the subfolder under packages\ that contains
// the .dproj files for that version. A trailing + means "this version or newer".
"packageOptions": {
"folders": {
"delphi11": "11.0Alexandria",
"delphi12+": "12.0Athens"
}
},
// version constraints follow semver syntax (@^x.y.z, @>=x.y.z, etc.)
"dependencies": {
"paolo-rossi.delphi-neon": "^3.1.0"
}
}
```
For a full field-by-field reference, see [docs/manifest.md](docs/manifest.md).
## Application manifest
The executable embeds `Source\blocks.manifest`, which declares:
- **Execution level** — `asInvoker` (no UAC elevation required).
- **Supported OS** — Windows 10 and Windows 11.
## Building from source
All source files are under `Source/`. The project has no external dependencies: open `Source\Blocks.dproj` in Delphi / RAD Studio and compile. The compiled executable (`Blocks.exe`) is placed in the project root.
## License
Apache License 2.0 — see [LICENSE](LICENSE).