Object Windows Library
Original author	Borland Software Corporation
Initial release	1991; 35 years ago (1991)
Stable release	OWLNext 7.0.19 / April 18, 2025; 10 months ago (2025-04-18)
Written in	C++
Operating system	Windows,OS/2
Type	Software framework
License	Proprietary withopen-source patches
Website	sourceforge.net/p/owlnext/wiki/
Repository	svn.code.sf.net/p/owlnext/code/trunk

TheObject Windows Library (OWL) is aC++ object-orientedapplication framework designed to simplify desktop application development forWindows and (some releases)OS/2.

OWL was introduced byBorland in 1991 and eventually deprecated in 1997 in favor of theirVisual Component Library (VCL). Its primary competitor was theMicrosoft Foundation Class Library (MFC). OWLNext,^[1] anopen-source project driven by the OWL user community, has continued the maintenance of OWL, ensuring that the library and applications that use it work with the latest version of Windows and modern C++ compilers.

In the early 1990s,Borland dominated the C++ market. In 1991, Borland introducedBorland C++ 3.0 which included OWL 1.0. At that time, C++ was just beginning to replaceC for development of commercial software, driven by the rising of the Windows platform and the rapid adoption ofobject-oriented design. During this period, OWL was a popular choice for Windows application development.

In 1992, Microsoft introducedMFC as part of Microsoft C++ 7.0. As a similar C++ application framework for Windows, MFC immediately became OWL's primary competitor in the C++ application development market.

OWL 1.0 depended onDynamic Dispatch Virtual Tables (DDVT), a proprietary extension to C++ that allowed the programmer to bind Windows messages (events) to functions (event handlers) in a simple manner and with little run-time overhead. MFC, on the other hand, used a solution that did not require a language extension.

In 1993, Borland launched Borland C++ 4.0 which included OWL 2.0. In this version of OWL, the proprietary DDVT extension was replaced byresponse tables, amacro-based solution compatible with standard C++ and similar to MFC in use. A conversion tool (OWLCVT) was included to migrate code from OWL 1.0 to OWL 2.0.

In April 1993, Borland andNovell signed an agreement to port OWL to NovellAppWare Foundation. AppWare Foundation was an API designed by Novell to becross-platform, allowing the deployment of applications on Mac, Windows and Unix clients and with several network services. The main tools for developing in AppWare were OWL and AppBuilder.^[2] However, in late 1994, Novell CEORaymond Noorda resigned. Novell expansion plans were reconsidered, AppWare development was stopped and so was OWL for AppWare. In 1995 a group of original team members bought AppBuilder. In the same year, Software UNO offered a commercial port for OWL 2.0 to several platforms: AIX 3.2.5,DEC OSF/1 AXP,HP-UX 9.03, Linux 1.2, Solaris 2.x,Sun OS 4.1.x, and SVR4 for x86. It was called WM_MOTIF.^[3]

In 1995, Borland C++ 4.5 with OWL 2.5 was released. As it was released beforeWindows 95, Borland promised a free upgrade for any incompatibility present in the final Windows version. In August 1995, Microsoft launched Windows 95 andVisual Studio 4.0. By then, Visual Studio had already eclipsed Borland C++ in shipments, and it was clear that OWL was losing ground to MFC.

In 1996, Borland released Borland C++ 5 for Windows. This version included OWL 5, a major revamp of the library. While OWL 5 received a minor update with the release of Borland C++ 5.02 a little later, version 5 would end up as the final version of OWL by Borland.

In 1997, Borland releasedC++Builder and deprecated Borland C++. OWL was included on theCompanion CD that shipped with C++Builder, but Borland ended maintenance and further development of the library.

In late 1999, Borland stopped selling Borland C++ and OWL.

Shortly after Borland ended the development of OWL, maintenance was taken over by a group of users led by Yura Bidus. This effort evolved into the OWLNext^[1]open-source project currently hosted at theSourceForge site. OWLNext is a modern update and extension of OWL with support for the latest Windows versions and modern C++ compilers from Microsoft andEmbarcadero Technologies.

Later versions of OWLNext have been released through SourceForge.

• Official website
• OWL source code from Embarcadero
• OWLNext 6.20 from Embarcadero
• OWLNext 6.30 from Embarcadero

• Borland
• C++ libraries
• Software derived from or incorporating Wine

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata