Development Strategies, using different Database Drivers

I’m about a quarter of the way through developing the software for my food bank project and am at the point where I need to decide on the back-end database structure. Options include Clarion data files, Topspeed SQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL, MSSQL—the list goes on.

My goal is to keep things as simple as possible while ensuring the chosen database is reliable and sustainable for the long term. I want to avoid a system that would require constant maintenance or expertise, especially if something were to happen to me (life is unpredictable, after all). The ideal solution is one that the food bank can manage independently if needed.

I’ve been consulting some seasoned professionals over at ClarionHub.com, and the consensus so far seems to favor Topspeed SQL. Developed over 25 years ago by SoftVelocity as a modern replacement for Clarion ISAM data files, it checks several key boxes for this project: cost-effectiveness, ease of implementation, scalability, and user-friendliness. It also aligns with my experience since I’ve worked with Topspeed files in the past.

Given these considerations and my own familiarity with Topspeed, that’s the route I’m going to take. Now it’s just a matter of brushing up on the nuances of Topspeed files compared to Clarion files—nothing too overwhelming.

Topspeed SQL it is! Onward and upward.