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Firebird

Firebird

Overview

What is Firebird?

FirebirdSQL is an open-source database which can be embedded.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Users have found Firebird to be a versatile and efficient relational database management system. Many users have been able to store …
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Free and Practical

5 out of 10
May 14, 2021
Incentivized
We use the Firebird open source relational database in a small piece of IT infrastructure designed for a specific task in the workplace …
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Pricing

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What is Firebird?

FirebirdSQL is an open-source database which can be embedded.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Alternatives Pricing

What is Neo4j?

Neo4j is an open source embeddable graph database developed by Neo Technologies based in San Mateo, California with an office in Sweden.

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Product Demos

Mroovka Master-Detail Form Demo on FirebirdSQL

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Product Details

Firebird Technical Details

Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(16)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Users have found Firebird to be a versatile and efficient relational database management system. Many users have been able to store translation memory into a Firebird DB and leverage advanced SQL queries to retrieve data effectively. The ability to alter large databases with simple queries has been particularly beneficial for users, as it allows them to quickly check and analyze the results. Firebird's embedded and compact file opportunities make it a convenient choice for storing mass data without sacrificing performance.

One of the common problems solved by Firebird is the secure storage and management of clients' information. Users have appreciated Firebird's fast, secure, and simple database capabilities, making it an optimal solution for handling sensitive client data. In some cases, Firebird has served as the foundation for ERP solutions, showcasing its adaptability and scalability for complex business systems.

However, not all users have stuck with Firebird as their primary database management system. Some users have explored alternative options after facing challenges while learning how to work with Firebird, especially when developing software. Despite these challenges, Firebird remains a popular choice among small businesses due to its ease of use and lack of restrictive licensing terms.

Firebird has also proved valuable for managing international and national client data, addressing Big Data issues, and handling storage management at a local level. Users have successfully utilized Firebird for data processing between remote servers using the SQL programming language. Furthermore, Firebird's compatibility with various PC applications and its ability to handle large amounts of data have made it suitable for diverse projects and tasks.

One notable advantage of Firebird is its easy distribution and lack of restrictive licensing terms. This allows users to deploy copies of the database across multiple systems without incurring additional costs or restrictions. Additionally, Firebird's nearly zero maintenance requirements and low footprint make it an attractive option for organizations looking for a reliable database management system that can handle critical tasks around the clock.

The strong open-source community surrounding Firebird provides users with a wealth of documentation resources and support. This, coupled with Firebird's support for SQL and its capacity to handle large database sizes, further enhances its appeal to users seeking an efficient and reliable solution.

Overall, Firebird has proven to be a versatile and user-friendly database management system. Its ability to handle complex queries, store large amounts of data securely, and adapt to various business needs positions it as a valuable tool for organizations across industries.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

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Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
FirebirdSQL is a nearly zero maintenance, low footprint relational database system suited for all kinds of PC applications, since even an embedded version exists which doesn't require installation - just copy the files. It supports SQL and database sizes > 1 TB are no problem. It is fully Unicode compatible, drivers for various development environments are available either from the vendors of these environments or from 3rd parties and there exists a healthy open source community around it along with documentation.
  • In a test back when I started to use it it beat MySQL Hands down on some easy speed test.
  • While the included backup functionality of MySQL failed back then (don't remember the details) the one from Firebird did work out of the box and Delphi meanwhile even has easy to use components to use this from a program written in it.
  • It stores the user accounts in a central database and not in the database the self written application uses, at least up to V2.5.
  • Theres no embedded version for Android as far as I know.
  • Versions prior to V3.0 could always read the older file format versions. That has changed now, which makes upgrading an existing DB harder in some scenarious.
It is well enough suited for embedding it into an application and the embedded version can, as far as I know, nowadays even support multiple simultaneous users/connections. It will also perform well on a standalone server with higher data volumes, if the SQL is properly written. Quite a few 3rd party management tools with SQL query capability, DB design features etc. do exist so it is not only suited for command line purists!
  • Zero maintenance
  • Easy installation
  • Works stable
  • Can't really say that, as my application is most of the times given away for free. But if the RDBMS would cost money, giving my app away for free wouldn't have been done I guess.
Back then I evaluated Oracle 8, IBM DB2, Mimer, SAP DB, MySQL, Borland Interbase (not Embarcadero Interbase and that one has the same roots as Firebird) and most likely other RDBMS. Firebird was free, usage was ok, it was (for my application) maintenance free and speed was ok for me. And it didn't trash my system! Getting Oracle installed is quite some task in comparison! Meanwhile I also have used SQLite, while it works essentially (it was used on a mobile project) I don't really like that it doesn't care much about data types.
I don't know how many, everybody who installs my software and that are > 100. It's a configuration and monitoring software for technical products.
1
Skills required: knowledge of relational databases and general IT knowledge. As already written: the DB is in most scenarios zero maintenance!
  • Backend DB for my application
Because it is free and usually zero maintenance. Just the issue of more difficult format updates in the future lower the rating a bit.
No
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
Price: since the software which uses this DB is most of the time given away for free paying for licenses wouldn't be great...
I would maybe use a different test DB structure for testing.
  • Implemented in-house
No
Change management was minimal
There was nothing to change: it was only me who started a new development project anyway and that needed a database.
  • That not all tools were fully unicode compatible
  • That some FB version which introduced unicode support did it wrong in the first version
Even somebody just starting to use RDBMS himself should get it working quickly, at least if he's got a GUI tool and some SQL knowledge.
This is an open source project. It provides a fair amount of free documentation and I think forums somewhere...
Not sure if there's any and I didn't need that yet.
No
Usability has improved by unifying the architecture. The only thing's missing out of the box is a simple GUI DB tool for viewing DB contents and maybe running some SQL queries.
  • Any things which would lock data or whole tables in some other RDBMs systems as FB uses a multi generation architecture.
  • None that I know of.
No
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