Tables > Data table formats

The dBASE background

Originating from the Vulcan project (1978, 1979 commercialized via BYTE Magazine), the dBASE database has been along since 1981 (the .dbf tables since 1983/85).

For many years the dBASE table format was an almost golden standard for desktop database data files.

Backwards compatible iterations have been table format III+, IV, 5 and 7.
The version 7 format was much improved but seldom adapted by other applications/database drivers.

Any future?

Due to the technically restricted format of the dBASE tables up to level 5 and the very limited acceptance of the more capable level 7 table format, it is hard to see any future for the steadily dying dBASE format.
No dBASE 7 sample tables were ever released with the BDE DBDemos database included with Delphi including vers. XE3 from 2012.

Also, converting between the classic dBASE text based Numerics specified by number of digits/decimals and the binary specified numbers* used by most modern databases, has always been a decisional challenge.

Furher, the dBASE 7 has some serious issues with the AutoInc field implementation - see AutoInc INSERt test.

dBASE (1979 - 2026) deBASED ?

According to blog posts (May, 2026) the dBASE news group finally closed since November 2025, and the dBASE LLC website shows little activity.
From being a early pioneer and with it's past time dominance, the era of dBASE seems belonging to the past.

However lots of old data may still be out there to be recovered by proper tools.