What is Visual FoxPro?

Visual FoxPro is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that was developed by Microsoft in the 1990s. It was originally released in 1992 and was one of the first object-oriented databases on the market. It was designed to make the development of database applications easier and more efficient. Visual FoxPro was one of the most powerful and popular RDBMSs of its time and was widely used in a variety of industries.

Visual FoxPro was created as an evolution of FoxPro, a popular DOS-based database. It was designed to be easier to use and more powerful than its predecessor. It included features such as an integrated development environment, an object-oriented programming language, and a graphical user interface. Visual FoxPro also added support for complex data types, including arrays and BLOBs, and had the ability to connect to other databases and ODBC sources.

Visual FoxPro was popular among developers because it was easy to use and had a powerful set of features. It was also well-suited for rapid application development (RAD), allowing developers to quickly create applications with minimal programming. Visual FoxPro was also popular with businesses, as it was relatively inexpensive and easy to use.

Despite its popularity, Microsoft stopped the development of Visual FoxPro in 2007. Since then, the software has been unsupported by Microsoft and is no longer available for download. However, many developers continue to use Visual FoxPro in their projects and there are still a few third-party vendors offering support for the software.

Visual FoxPro is still used in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, finance, healthcare, and government. It is especially popular with small and medium-sized businesses that need a powerful database without the cost and complexity of a more expensive system.
Visual FoxPro is also used by some hobbyists and enthusiasts who enjoy tinkering with the software. They often use the software to create custom solutions to specific problems or to develop their own applications.

Despite its age, Visual FoxPro remains a powerful and popular database system. It is easy to use and has a robust set of features that make it well-suited for a variety of applications. Although it is no longer supported by Microsoft, there are still many developers who continue to use Visual FoxPro in their projects.