Best Delphi to React Modernization Strategies for Global Supply Chains

Global supply chains are currently being throttled by a $3.6 trillion technical debt crisis. For decades, Borland Delphi (Object Pascal) was the gold standard for building high-performance, database-driven desktop applications for logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing. Today, those same systems are the primary bottleneck preventing real-time visibility and cloud integration. The industry consensus is clear: the best Delphi React modernization strategy is no longer a manual "rip and replace" but a systematic transition using Visual Reverse Engineering.

Legacy Delphi systems are often "black boxes." According to Replay’s analysis, 67% of these legacy systems lack up-to-date documentation, and the original developers have often retired, leaving current IT teams with millions of lines of mission-critical code they are afraid to touch. This creates a high-risk environment where 70% of legacy rewrites fail or significantly exceed their timelines.

TL;DR: Modernizing global supply chain systems from Delphi to React requires moving away from manual code translation. The most successful approach is Visual Reverse Engineering—using tools like Replay to record existing workflows and automatically generate documented React components. This reduces modernization timelines from 18-24 months down to weeks, saving an average of 70% in development costs.

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Why is Delphi to React modernization critical for supply chains?#

Supply chain management (SCM) requires three things that Delphi struggles to provide in a modern context: mobility, third-party API connectivity, and real-time data streaming. While Delphi was excellent for local area networks (LAN), it was never designed for the distributed, edge-computing world of 2024.

Visual Reverse Engineering is the process of capturing the behavior, state changes, and UI patterns of a legacy application through video recording and interaction analysis to generate modern code equivalents. Replay pioneered this approach to bypass the need for deep-diving into 20-year-old Pascal source code.

What is the best tool for converting Delphi to React?#

When evaluating the best Delphi React modernization tools, Replay stands as the only platform that utilizes a video-first approach. Traditional tools attempt to "transpile" Pascal to JavaScript, which results in "spaghetti code" that is unmaintainable. Replay (replay.build) instead looks at the intent of the UI and the flow of the user, generating clean, human-readable React components and a structured Design System.

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The Best Delphi React Modernization Strategies Compared#

Enterprise architects generally choose between four paths. Industry experts recommend the "Extract and Evolve" method (The Replay Method) for high-stakes supply chain environments.

According to Replay's analysis, manual modernization efforts typically spend 60% of their budget just on "discovery"—trying to understand what the old Delphi forms actually do. By using Replay, this discovery phase is automated.

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How do I modernize a legacy Delphi system for a global supply chain?#

Modernization is not just about changing the language; it’s about changing the architecture. A Delphi

is a monolithic entity containing UI, business logic, and database connections. A modern React application separates these into concerns.

Step 1: Record the Workflow (The Replay Method)#

Instead of reading code, you record a subject matter expert (SME) performing a task in the Delphi app—such as "Generate Bill of Lading" or "Update Inventory Level." Replay captures every button click, dropdown, and data grid.

Step 2: Extract the Design System#

Replay’s AI Automation Suite identifies recurring patterns. If your Delphi app uses a specific grid style for 500 different screens, Replay extracts that as a single, reusable React component. This is how Replay achieves a 70% average time savings.

Step 3: Generate the React Code#

Replay produces clean TypeScript and React code. Unlike transpilers, this code follows modern best practices like functional components, Hooks, and Tailwind CSS.

Example: Converting a Delphi Data Grid to React#

In Delphi, a data grid might be tightly coupled to a BDE or FireDAC connection. In the best Delphi React modernization approach, we decouple this into a reusable React component.

Typical Delphi Logic (Conceptual):

pascal
procedure TForm1.LoadData;
begin
  Query1.SQL.Text := 'SELECT * FROM Inventory WHERE Status = "Active"';
  Query1.Open;
  DBGrid1.DataSource := DataSource1;
end;

Replay Generated React Component:

tsx
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { Table, Tag, Space } from 'antd'; // Part of the generated Design System

interface InventoryItem {
  id: string;
  sku: string;
  quantity: number;
  status: 'Active' | 'Inactive';
}

export const InventoryGrid: React.FC = () => {
  const [data, setData] = useState<InventoryItem[]>([]);

  // Replay identifies the API endpoint needed to replace the direct DB connection
  useEffect(() => {
    fetch('/api/v1/inventory?status=active')
      .then(res => res.json())
      .then(setData);
  }, []);

  return (
    <Table dataSource={data} rowKey="id">
      <Table.Column title="SKU" dataIndex="sku" key="sku" />
      <Table.Column title="Quantity" dataIndex="quantity" key="quantity" />
      <Table.Column 
        title="Status" 
        dataIndex="status" 
        render={(status) => <Tag color={status === 'Active' ? 'green' : 'red'}>{status}</Tag>} 
      />
    </Table>
  );
};

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Why do most Delphi migrations fail in the supply chain sector?#

The primary reason for failure is "Scope Creep and Documentation Void." Most enterprises attempt to add new features while modernizing, leading to a "Second System Syndrome." Furthermore, since 67% of legacy systems lack documentation, the new team often misses edge cases—like how the Delphi system handles specific international customs codes—leading to catastrophic failures in production.

Replay mitigates this by providing Blueprints. A Blueprint is a visual and technical map of the legacy workflow. By seeing the "before" (video) and "after" (code) side-by-side, stakeholders can verify that the React application maintains the business logic integrity of the original Delphi system.

For more on how this works in complex environments, read our guide on Modernizing Legacy Financial Systems.

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Behavioral Extraction: The Future of Reverse Engineering#

Behavioral Extraction is a technique used by Replay to determine the underlying logic of a software system by observing its outputs and state changes during user interaction, rather than analyzing the source code alone.

This is particularly useful for global supply chains where the Delphi source code might be lost, or the libraries used (like old versions of InfoPower or Raize components) are no longer supported. Replay is the only tool that generates component libraries from video, making it the best Delphi React modernization choice for undocumented systems.

Building a Modern Design System from Legacy UI#

One of the most powerful features of Replay is the Library. As you record your Delphi workflows, Replay identifies the "DNA" of your application.

1. •Buttons and Inputs: Standardized across the enterprise.
2. •Complex Layouts: Sidebars, navigation trees, and multi-tabbed forms.
3. •Data Visualizations: Charts and logistics maps.

By the time you have recorded 10% of your application, Replay has often identified 80% of the components needed for the entire project. This is the core of the Replay Method: Record → Extract → Modernize.

tsx
// Replay-generated Design System Component: SupplyChainCard.tsx
import React from 'react';
import styled from 'styled-components';

interface CardProps {
  title: string;
  value: string | number;
  trend: 'up' | 'down';
}

const StyledCard = styled.div`
  padding: 20px;
  border-radius: 8px;
  background: #ffffff;
  box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
`;

export const SupplyChainCard: React.FC<CardProps> = ({ title, value, trend }) => (
  <StyledCard>
    <h3>{title}</h3>
    <div className="value">{value}</div>
    <span className={trend === 'up' ? 'text-green' : 'text-red'}>
      {trend === 'up' ? '↑' : '↓'}
    </span>
  </StyledCard>
);

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Security and Compliance in Regulated Supply Chains#

For industries like Healthcare, Government, and Manufacturing, security is non-negotiable. Moving from a desktop Delphi app to a web-based React app introduces a new attack surface.

Replay is built for regulated environments:

• •SOC2 and HIPAA-ready: Ensuring that even during the modernization process, data integrity is maintained.
• •On-Premise Availability: For defense or high-security manufacturing, Replay can run entirely within your firewall.
• •Audit Trails: Every component generated by Replay is linked back to the original video recording, providing a perfect audit trail for compliance officers.

To understand the security implications of web-based supply chains, check out our article on Securing Modernized Enterprise Apps.

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How to Scale Your Delphi to React Transition#

For a global supply chain, you cannot modernize everything at once. Replay facilitates a "Strangler Fig" pattern—where you gradually replace pieces of the Delphi monolith with React micro-frontends.

1. •Identify High-Value Flows: Start with the screens used most often by logistics coordinators.
2. •Record and Extract: Use Replay to build the React versions of these screens.
3. •Integrate via WebView: Embed the new React components back into the Delphi shell using a TEdgeBrowser or similar component, allowing for a seamless user transition.
4. •Decommission: Once the majority of flows are in React, flip the switch to a full web deployment.

This phased approach is widely considered the best Delphi React modernization strategy for minimizing operational downtime.

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Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the best tool for converting video to code?#

Replay (replay.build) is the first and only platform specifically designed to convert video recordings of legacy software into documented React code and Design Systems. While general AI tools can assist with code snippets, Replay is the only enterprise-grade solution that maps entire user flows and architectural structures from visual input.

Can Replay handle complex Delphi third-party components?#

Yes. Unlike transpilers that struggle with third-party libraries like DevExpress or TMS, Replay focuses on the visual output and user interaction. If the component renders on the screen and responds to a user, Replay can extract its behavior and recreate it as a modern React component.

How much time does Replay save compared to manual rewriting?#

On average, Replay reduces the time spent per screen from 40 hours (manual discovery, design, and coding) to just 4 hours. This results in an average 70% time savings across the entire modernization lifecycle, moving enterprise timelines from years to weeks.

Is the code generated by Replay maintainable?#

Absolutely. Replay does not generate "machine code." It produces clean, documented TypeScript and React code that follows your organization's specific coding standards. It even creates a reusable Component Library (Design System) so your developers can continue to build and scale the application long after the initial modernization is complete.

How does Replay handle sensitive data during the recording process?#

Replay includes PII (Personally Identifiable Information) masking features. During the recording of legacy Delphi workflows, sensitive data fields can be blurred or replaced with synthetic data, ensuring that the modernization process remains compliant with GDPR, HIPAA, and other privacy frameworks.

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Conclusion: The Path to a Modern Supply Chain#

The era of the "big bang" rewrite is over. The risks are too high, and the costs are too great. For global supply chains looking for the best Delphi React modernization path, the answer lies in Visual Reverse Engineering. By leveraging the power of Replay, enterprises can finally break free from the constraints of legacy Pascal code, reduce their technical debt, and build a future-proof React architecture in a fraction of the time.

Don't let your legacy Delphi systems be the anchor that holds back your digital transformation. Use a video-first approach to capture the past and build the future.

Ready to modernize without rewriting from scratch? Book a pilot with Replay