DataFlex


DataFlex is an object-oriented high-level programming language and a fourth generation visual tool 4GL for developing Windows, web and mobile software applications on one framework-based platform. It was introduced and developed by Data Access Corporation beginning in 1982.

History and overview

DataFlex can be traced back to 1982 when the company called Data Access Corporation created and developed a language allowing application code to run on almost any system architecture, regardless of hardware.It started as a relatively early example of a fully fledged and commercially used fourth-generation programming language. In its early forms, DataFlex was available for CP/M, MS-DOS, TurboDOS, Novell NetWare, OS/2, Unix, VAX/VMS and IBM AIX operating systems. By 1985, DataFlex was applied in a variety of high-tech industries including automated inventory control systems and insurance fraud detection systems.
DataFlex has lasted many years as a niche application development environment. The DataFlex product supports many database environments: Oracle database, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, MySQL, PostgreSQL and any ODBC database. DataFlex applications are used by around 3 million users. In 1991, the 3.0 version with a modernized interface was released. In 2014, Data Access released 2014/18.0 version. As of April 2019, the version is 19.1.
DataFlex is developed and provided by Data Access Worldwide, a software company with main offices in Miami, Florida, Hengelo, Netherlands, and São Paulo, Brazil.

Features

The DataFlex language supports:
The DataFlex programming language is used in the following development environments:
;DataFlex Studio: This is the flagship visual development environment from Data Access Worldwide. The current version is 19.1. DataFlex is available for Microsoft Windows only. DataFlex is a GUI development language in a style comparable with Visual Basic, Delphi and C++. From version 4 up until version 17.1, the product was labeled Visual DataFlex.
;DataFlex WebApp Server: Available for Microsoft IIS only, the DataFlex WebApp Server can be used to develop thin client applications such as browser-based applications. Developers can also create Web Service client and server applications. The server has load balancing capabilities build-in which also assists with High Availability, this does, however, require an SPLF license.
;Web Framework: DataFlex includes a web framework for writing web and mobile applications.
;Character mode DataFlex: The latest iteration of the original character mode application is available as a Console Mode application for MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows and Unix variants.