Claris FileMaker can be used to do many different things but at its core it is an application designed to build custom relational databases.

” ….so, what is a relational database anyway? “

A relational database refers to the idea that multiple database tables can be linked (related) for the purpose of sharing data between one another. For example, linking your database table containing a product library to that of your orders for the purpose of adding a product to an order. This eliminates the need to duplicate the product related data.

Stick with me for a bit, this is not another article about database development but rather about the benefits of using Claris FileMaker to produce your next feature filled cross platform application. Let’s step outside the box and think for a second about apps that you use on a daily basis. Think Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and even your favorite dating app/site or Amazon. These are all examples of databases which have user interfaces that make viewing, creating, editing, and deleting data easy and engaging.

Enterprise databases such as MySQL and SQL do not have a user interface or native functionality to be able to create, read, update, or delete records. They merely allow one to define the type of data that will be stored. Most applications (databases) are paired with other technologies like PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and others to create “front-end” environments for users to interact with. This means creating even simple applications takes a considerable amout of time, effort, expertise and money in order to be effective. This simply put it out of reach to most people or small businesses

Every business can benefit from custom applications, however most off-the-shelf applications fail to provide solutions to key business challenges or have too many features which are not useful and complicated to operate. Most businesses are small to medium in size with between 5 and 99 employees. They often do not have the budget required to build even the simplest of custom applications using the traditional development methods.

Enter Claris FileMaker, a low-code development platform. A low-code development platform takes a visual approach to build an app. Instead of writing code line by line, you can use an intuitive point-and-click or drag-and-drop approach to building an app. Claris FileMaker’s low-code development allows the creation of fast, easy, and fully customization apps to solve unique business problems.