Technologies
FoxPro
FoxPro is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that was originally developed by Fox Software and later acquired by Microsoft. It was first released in 1984 for DOS and became popular for its combination of database management and programming capabilities. FoxPro was known for its speed, ease of use, and powerful programming language, which made it a popular choice for developing desktop database applications.
One of the key features of FoxPro was its programming language, which was based on the dBASE programming language. FoxPro included a powerful and flexible programming environment that allowed developers to create sophisticated applications with custom user interfaces, complex business logic, and advanced data manipulation capabilities. The language supported features such as variables, loops, conditional statements, and user-defined functions, making it a versatile tool for building database applications.
FoxPro used a file-based database format, with each database stored in a separate file containing tables, indexes, and memo fields. The database format was simple and efficient, making it easy to manage and transport databases between systems. FoxPro also included a number of built-in tools for managing and querying databases, including a query builder, report writer, and form designer.
In 1995, Microsoft released Visual FoxPro, which was an enhanced version of FoxPro with improved programming and database features. Visual FoxPro included support for object-oriented programming, allowing developers to create reusable components and build more maintainable and scalable applications. Visual FoxPro also included improved support for connecting to external data sources, making it easier to integrate with other systems and data sources.
Despite its popularity, Microsoft discontinued support for Visual FoxPro in 2007, and the product is no longer actively developed. However, there is still a community of developers who continue to use Visual FoxPro for legacy applications, and there are third-party tools and utilities available for working with Visual FoxPro databases.
Overall, FoxPro was a powerful and versatile database management system that played an important role in the history of database development. Its ease of use, speed, and powerful programming language made it a popular choice for developers looking to build desktop database applications.
