Rapidly create dynamic and highly functional web applications directly from your existing SQL database structures and data. dbFront continually monitors the tables, fields and relationships in your database and uses best practices and responsive design to continually present the best possible client interface. dbFront provides all of the functionality of a CRUD application and far more. DBA’s and other administrators can customize and augment the layout, add security, and incorporate advanced functionality using procedures, expressions, reporting and much more.
Database driven web applications represent a significant value for many businesses. This is because a properly designed application can greatly improve an organization's efficiency as information is shared and updated by all who need access.
The Problem
The problem with these web applications is that they are expensive to build and maintain. Some reasons for the complexity and expense are:
- Multiple application layers each with their own function: storage, security, presentation...
- Each layer uses different technologies: SQL, Java, PHP, C#, Javascript, CSS...
- Each layer has specific knowledge about the business: structures, business rules, layout...
Because of these costs many application requests are rejected or abandoned. This can result in some dissatisfied departments or staff starting their own shadow IT projects.
The dbFront difference
Big Ideas Computing recognized that by approaching the problem differently they could meet the needs of many simple database-driven web applications flexibly and cost-effectively.
dbFront was designed from the ground up so that:
- It would use the database as the source of all knowledge about the business,
- It would absorb and hide the technical complexity of a web application,
- It would dynamically build a powerful but simple to use interface.
The result is the ability to build out simple and dynamic systems that stay easy to upgrade and maintain.
How it works
In the world of data storage, there is a well-known standard for structuring data called Third Normal Form (3NF). This standard results in databases that are structured in a consistent and descriptive pattern.
In addition, database servers that are designed to store relational data have several tools available to help protect this data. Between field types, column constraints, enforced relationships, and triggers, most databases have many effective ways of enforcing business rules.
dbFront can understand these database structures and with a few hints, build an intuitive and powerful user interface based on the structure, rules, and data.
dbFront allows an administrator to tweak various settings such as selecting the tables and fields that are visible and editable. dbFront can also be set up with custom buttons that can trigger a variety of different actions based on the current record.
Because dbFront does most of this work dynamically and automatically, the result is a web application that is:
- Easy to implement,
- Easy to update,
- Easy to upgrade, and
- Easy to use.
Your Data, Your Database, Your Environment
dbFront leaves you in complete control of your network environment. dbFront can install in hosted environments such as Azure or AWS but the majority of installs are local.
dbFront:
- Installs locally and integrates with your existing network security. This avoids security integration issues.
- Connects to your existing data in your existing database. This eliminates data duplication and synchronization issues.
- Avoids or greatly simplifies backup and compliance issues.
The dbFront Advantage
Internal users have typically turned to Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel because they can easily create shared data resources, however these individual data-stores can quickly turn into management and maintenance headaches.
The advantage of dbFront is that it provides a managed and centralized alternative that helps avoid the duplication, editing, sharing and security issues found with Excel or MS Access. A responsive DBA or Systems Analyst can easily create whole applications or additional tables and columns as needed and securely share them at a moments notice.
