Devart Updates Entire Delphi Product Line with Support for RAD Studio 13 Florence Release 2 and Advanced Security Features
Devart has officially announced the comprehensive update of its entire Delphi product line, marking a significant milestone in the software development lifecycle for teams relying on Embarcadero’s ecosystem. The 2026.2 update cycle brings critical compatibility enhancements, including full support for RAD Studio 13 Florence Release 2, as well as native support for the latest iterations of major database management systems, specifically Microsoft SQL Server 2025 and MySQL 9.7. This widespread update covers the company’s extensive Data Access Components (DAC) suite, the dbExpress driver family, the EntityDAC Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) framework, and the SecureBridge security component library.
Beyond mere version alignment, this release represents a strategic shift toward modern security architectures. A standout feature of the 2026.2 update is the integration of client-side encryption support for SQL Server data, a move that aligns Devart’s tooling with the industry’s growing mandate for "zero-trust" data handling. By enabling the Always Encrypted functionality within SDAC and UniDAC, Devart allows developers to manage sensitive information with a higher degree of isolation, ensuring that encryption keys remain separated from the database server environment.
A Comprehensive Technical Refresh
The 2026.2 release is one of the most substantial in the company’s recent history, impacting a broad portfolio of specialized tools. The updated versions include UniDAC 12.1, ODAC 15.1, SDAC 13.1, MyDAC 14.1, IBDAC 11.1, PgDAC 10.1, LiteDAC 8.1, VirtualDAC 15.1, SecureBridge 12.1, and EntityDAC 4.1. By synchronizing these updates, Devart aims to minimize the friction often associated with IDE upgrades, allowing developers to maintain a stable development pipeline even as the underlying platform, RAD Studio 13, evolves.
The decision to roll out these updates as a unified collection underscores the necessity of component parity. In complex enterprise environments, disparate versions of drivers and components can lead to integration bottlenecks and security vulnerabilities. By refreshing the entire stack simultaneously, Devart provides a streamlined path for developers to migrate their legacy projects to the latest IDE and database infrastructure without sacrificing stability.
Strengthening Data Security: SQL Server Always Encrypted
The inclusion of SQL Server Always Encrypted support is perhaps the most critical technical evolution in this update. Always Encrypted is a feature designed to protect sensitive data at rest and in transit. By implementing this within the SDAC and UniDAC drivers, Devart enables the client application to handle the encryption and decryption processes transparently.
From an architectural standpoint, this means that even if a database administrator or a malicious actor gains access to the database server’s memory or physical storage, they cannot view the plaintext data. The cryptographic keys never leave the client application’s trust boundary. This capability is increasingly vital for sectors operating under strict regulatory frameworks, such as healthcare (HIPAA), finance (PCI-DSS), and government, where the principle of least privilege must extend to the database layer.
Expanding Database Compatibility and Performance
While security is a primary driver for the 2026.2 release, Devart has also focused on deep-level performance and feature alignment with the latest database releases.
SQL Server 2025 Integration
The update to SDAC and the SQL Server provider within UniDAC ensures full compatibility with the forthcoming Microsoft SQL Server 2025. This includes support for new data types, optimized transaction handling, and improvements to the internal protocols that govern client-to-server communication. For enterprises currently planning their infrastructure migration to SQL Server 2025, these drivers provide a pre-validated pathway to ensure that existing Delphi applications remain performant and reliable.
MySQL 9.7 and Authentication Protocols
MySQL 9.7 represents the cutting edge of the popular open-source relational database management system. Devart’s MyDAC update introduces modernized authentication mechanisms that are now standard in newer MySQL distributions. By refining connection handling and metadata retrieval, the update ensures that developers can leverage the performance improvements of MySQL 9.7 without encountering the common compatibility errors associated with older driver iterations.
PostgreSQL, InterBase, and Firebird Connectivity
The update continues to address the unique requirements of various database backends. For PgDAC, the focus has been on improving SSL/TLS compatibility, which is crucial for secure cloud-based database deployments. The enhancements to connection options allow for more granular control over how applications interact with PostgreSQL instances, particularly in high-latency or unstable network environments.
In the InterBase and Firebird space, the update addresses transaction management. As these databases are frequently utilized in embedded applications and high-concurrency environments, the refinement of transaction handling and authentication protocols is expected to yield measurable improvements in application responsiveness and data integrity.
Strategic Implications for the Developer Ecosystem
Borys Matkov, lead engineering manager of Devart’s DAC team, noted the strategic rationale behind the rollout: "When developers move to a new RAD Studio or database version, they need the components their applications depend on to work with it. That’s why we’ve updated the Delphi product line together. We’ve also added support for Always Encrypted to SDAC and UniDAC, giving developers another way to protect sensitive SQL Server data."
The implications of this update are clear: the Delphi developer community, often working in long-term enterprise maintenance roles, now has a path forward that integrates modern security standards with legacy codebase compatibility. The ability to adopt cutting-edge database versions while continuing to use a familiar, mature IDE is essential for maintaining business continuity.
The Evolution of SecureBridge and EntityDAC
SecureBridge 12.1 and EntityDAC 4.1 also receive significant attention in this release. SecureBridge, which provides high-level security for network data transfers (including SSH, SSL, and SFTP), has been updated to better handle modern cryptographic standards and improved integration within the IDE. These updates are intended to simplify the implementation of secure data pipelines, which are increasingly necessary as applications shift toward hybrid-cloud architectures.
EntityDAC 4.1, the ORM component that bridges the gap between object-oriented code and relational databases, has been optimized to handle larger datasets with greater efficiency. By reducing the overhead of mapping operations, developers can build more complex data models that remain responsive even when interacting with high-traffic SQL Server or Oracle databases.
Chronology of Development and Release
The 2026.2 update follows a steady cadence of releases that characterize Devart’s commitment to the Delphi platform. Throughout the past eighteen months, the company has consistently provided "day-zero" or "day-one" compatibility for new RAD Studio releases. This release cycle, however, is notable for its breadth. By grouping multiple DAC products, the dbExpress drivers, and security components into a single major update version, Devart has reduced the overhead for teams managing large-scale application portfolios.
Broader Industry Context
In the wider landscape of software development, the persistence of the Delphi ecosystem remains a testament to the longevity of Object Pascal and its related frameworks. While modern web-based stacks dominate the headlines, a significant portion of global critical infrastructure—from manufacturing control systems to banking back-ends—continues to run on Delphi.
Devart’s approach serves as a bridge, allowing these "legacy-by-definition" systems to adopt modern security features like client-side encryption and support for the latest cloud-native database versions. This effectively extends the lifespan of these applications, sparing organizations the immense costs and risks associated with complete platform rewrites.
The integration of advanced security features into existing data access layers is becoming a standard expectation for professional developers. By incorporating SQL Server Always Encrypted, Devart is effectively democratizing enterprise-grade security for the Delphi community. It signals that even older or traditional development platforms can, and should, participate in the modern cybersecurity paradigm.
Conclusion and Availability
The 2026.2 update is currently available for all licensed users of Devart’s Delphi product line. By providing a comprehensive suite of updates, Devart has ensured that developers can maintain compatibility with RAD Studio 13 Florence Release 2, while simultaneously upgrading their data infrastructure to support SQL Server 2025 and MySQL 9.7.
As the software industry continues to prioritize data security and architectural agility, the availability of such robust tooling is a vital component of the developer’s toolkit. The combination of performance enhancements, security upgrades, and IDE compatibility in this release provides a clear roadmap for organizations looking to modernize their Delphi applications without compromising on the stability or performance they have come to rely on. For teams currently evaluating their transition to the latest IDE and database versions, the 2026.2 release offers the necessary foundation to ensure a smooth and secure migration.
