Borland Database Engine
Database engine and connectivity software necessary
Borland Database Engine & mdash; is a set of libraries that allows you to work with Paradox, dBASE, FoxPro, MS Access databases from programs created in Delphi, C++ Builder and other Borland products. In addition, it is possible to access SQL through the built-in SQL Links driver, and to access Microsoft Access and similar databases, it is possible to connect external ODBC drivers.
If we describe the BDE work in simple language, we can say that it acts as an intermediary between the program and the database, sending the last commands to extract or change the data and returning the result to the program. In addition to the main set of libraries that include libraries for processing queries, sorting and translating data, the set includes several utilities: for connecting and configuring databases & mdash; BDE Administrator and Data Pump utility that serves for transferring information between databases.
The development of the system ended in 1999, and in 2002 Borland company completely stopped supporting and further using Borland Database Engine, that's why it will not work in most modern systems (especially in 64-bit Windows).
One main benefit of Borland Database Engine is its ability to seamlessly connect and interact with various types of databases from Borland-made programs.
- 32-bit Operating System (Not compatible with 64-bit)
- Minimum 16 MB RAM
- At least 20 MB free hard disk space
PROS
Supports multiple database platforms, enhancing flexibility.
High performance due to local data caching and cursor implementation.
CONS
Difficult to find updates and support.
Poor integration with other applications.
Adam
Borland Database Engine is a software technology which was in high demand a long time ago. The system stopped being developed in 1999 so most modern computers can’t run BDE.
Mon, Dec 18, 2023
But back then users valued BDE for different reasons. One of the reasons is that it used to help programmers to connect their applications to different databases through a unified interface without a need of any middleware server presence. It also had an ability to interact with plenty of types of databases (Borland-made programs). Besides, BDE performed great when coders needed to work with data from different database formats simultaneously. In addition, the engine was user-friendly, which made it even more attractive.
BDE used to play a significant role in the past. However, such modern technologies as OLE DB, ADO, or FireDAC have replaced BDE at some point. Still, if you really want to try out this engine, it’s possible to do this, just look for older development software packages like Delphi and C++Builder.
