What is DBF?

DBF (Database File) is a simple table-based database format where each file represents one table with fixed-width columns. Originally created for dBase II/III/IV, the format was adopted by FoxPro, Clipper, Visual FoxPro, and many business applications. DBF files store table structure (field names, types, lengths) in a header followed by records in fixed-length rows. The format is simple, portable, and readable by many applications.

DBF is still widely used in GIS applications (ESRI Shapefiles use DBF for attribute data), legacy business systems, point-of-sale software, accounting programs, and data exchange between different database systems. Excel can open DBF files directly. While ancient by database standards, DBF remains relevant due to its simplicity, universal support, and embedded use in Shapefiles for geographic data.

Did you know? Every ESRI Shapefile includes a DBF file for storing attribute data!

History

Ashton-Tate created dBase as one of the first successful database management systems for microcomputers, establishing DBF as a standard format.

Key Milestones

  • 1983: dBase II introduces DBF format
  • 1986: dBase III Plus becomes standard
  • 1991: Borland acquires Ashton-Tate
  • 1992: FoxPro and Clipper adoption
  • 1998: Shapefile standardization
  • Present: GIS and legacy use

Key Features

Core Capabilities

  • Simple Structure: Header + records
  • Single Table: One file per table
  • Fixed Width: Predictable format
  • Universal Support: Read by many apps
  • Human Readable: Simple text-based
  • GIS Standard: Shapefile component

Common Use Cases

GIS Data

Shapefile attributes

Legacy Apps

Old business systems

Data Exchange

Database interoperability

POS Systems

Point-of-sale databases

Advantages

  • Simple and portable format
  • Universal software support
  • Excel can open directly
  • GIS standard (Shapefiles)
  • No proprietary dependencies
  • Easy data exchange
  • Human-readable structure

Disadvantages

  • Extremely outdated (1983)
  • No relational features
  • Limited data types
  • No Unicode support
  • 2 GB file size limit
  • Poor for modern applications

Technical Information

Format Specifications

Specification Details
File Extension .dbf
MIME Type application/x-dbf
Structure Header + fixed-width records
Max File Size ~2 GB
Data Types Character, Number, Date, Logical, Memo
Character Encoding ASCII, code pages (no Unicode)

Common Tools

  • Database: Visual FoxPro, dBase, LibreOffice Base
  • Office: Microsoft Excel, Access
  • GIS: ArcGIS, QGIS (Shapefile support)
  • Viewers: DBF Viewer 2000, DBF Commander