idatabase
Claris FileMaker · since 1985

Build the database your work actually needs.

Claris FileMaker is a low-code platform for creating custom apps that run on Mac, Windows, iPad, iPhone and the web — from a one-person inventory list to a hosted system used by hundreds of staff.

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40+ yearsof continuous development
4 surfacesdesktop, iPad/iPhone, web browser, APIs
1 fileholds tables, layouts, scripts and security
Low-codebuild visually, script when you need to
The platform

One toolset, every device

The Claris FileMaker platform is a family of applications that share the same app file. Design once in FileMaker Pro, then reach people wherever they work.

FileMaker Pro

The design and desktop app for macOS and Windows. Build tables, relationships, layouts and scripts, then use the finished app on the same machine.

FileMaker Go

A free iPad and iPhone app that runs your FileMaker solutions on the move, with access to the camera, barcode scanning, signatures, location and offline files.

FileMaker Server & Cloud

Host apps for simultaneous multi-user access on your own server or in Claris-managed cloud hosting, with scheduled backups, server-side scripts and remote administration.

FileMaker WebDirect

Publish the same layouts to a web browser with no separate web code — handy for staff on Chromebooks, Android devices or locked-down PCs.

Data API & OData

RESTful and OData interfaces let websites, Power BI, Excel, Python scripts and other systems read and write FileMaker data securely.

Claris Connect

A workflow-automation service that links FileMaker to cloud apps such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack and Xero without writing integration code.

Capabilities

What you can do with FileMaker

FileMaker sits in a sweet spot: far more structured and secure than a spreadsheet, far quicker to build than a traditional coded application.

  • Relational data modelling — tables, fields, calculated and summary fields, and a visual relationships graph.
  • Drag-and-drop layouts — forms, lists, reports, charts, portals, popovers and responsive designs for each device.
  • Scripting and automation — more than 200 script steps, triggers, server-side schedules and a built-in debugger.
  • Calculation engine — hundreds of functions, custom functions, JSON handling and SQL queries via ExecuteSQL.
  • Integration — web viewers with JavaScript, Insert from URL for REST APIs, external SQL data sources and plug-ins.
  • AI features — recent releases add script steps for connecting to large language models, including semantic search over your own records.
  • Security — accounts and privilege sets down to record level, encryption at rest and in transit, and external authentication options.

Typical FileMaker apps

Real-world uses across Australian business, government, health and education:

Student enrolmentsCourse administration Inventory & asset trackingJob management CRM & sales pipelinesInvoicing Field inspectionsClinical & research data Event registrationMuseum collections Fleet maintenanceDashboards & KPIs

If a team is juggling spreadsheets, paper forms and email attachments to run a process, it is usually a strong FileMaker candidate.

Next steps

Where to go from here

Learn the platform

Curated article sites, blogs, forums and video collections for beginners through to advanced developers.

Learn FileMaker

Explore the history

Follow FileMaker from a 1985 Macintosh utility to today's Claris platform, milestone by milestone.

History of FileMaker

Find a developer

Australian Claris partners and FileMaker specialists, grouped by State and Territory.

Find a developer

Get inspired

Twenty extraordinary databases that catalogue life, the cosmos, language and the web itself.

Spectacular databases