DBF File

What are DBF files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a DBF file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your DBF files.

What is a DBF file?

DBF files have multiple uses, and xBase Database is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

xBase Database File

Files that contain the .dbf file extension are standard database files. The .dbf file extension is used by several database applications, although the original application that introduced the .dbf file format was the Ashton-Tate dBase database.

While dBase was initially one of the best-selling database software titles, it lost significant market share when applications like Microsoft Access and FoxPro were established. However, many newer database applications still use the .dbf file extension for their database files.

DBF files organize data into records. For example, customer lists, financial data, and product inventories are often stored in the DBF file format.

How to open DBF files

We have identified two DBF openers that are compatible with this specific type of DBF file.

Programs that open xBase Database files

Last updated: October 22, 2026

All known file formats using extension .DBF

While xBase Database File is a popular type of DBF-file, we know of 6 different uses of the .DBF file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Apollo Database Engine Data File

Canoco BT project files describe the electrical installation a designer has laid out in Canoco BT software.

An Apollo Database Engine Data File holds structured data in a table format used by Apollo's xBase-compatible database engine. It stores rows and columns of data - character, numeric, logical, date, memo, blob or similar fields - that represent records in a database table. Its primary purpose is to allow applications built with Apollo Embedded or Apollo Server to persist and query structured datasets using Apollo's SQL-92 capable engine.

These files are produced by applications using Apollo Engine when creating, updating or maintaining tables in Apollo's ecosystem. The engine supports reading and writing these files directly, and integrates with standard index or memo files from compatible xBase families (such as FoxPro or Clipper) to locate and retrieve fields like long text or large binary content. Tables defined via Apollo SQL schemas generate these data files as the backing store for the table definition.

Contents begin with a standard xBase data file header that defines things like field names, types and record offset layout. The file includes pointers or references to separate memo or blob storage files when needed. Signature bytes and header data match those used by FoxPro/Clipper dBASE-style DBF files, including reserved fields for different field types and control flags that identify end-of-file and record deletion.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different DBF openers which you will find listed below.

DBase Data File

A DBase Data File (.dbf) is a table of structured data created and used by the dBASE database management system. It stores data in rows (records) and columns (fields), with each field having a name, type, and fixed maximum size. These files are used to manage data such as lists, inventories, or records that can be sorted, filtered, or queried.

The dBASE program writes .dbf files when a user creates or modifies a table. Each table is self-contained in its own file, and each field of a record holds one type of data - text, number, date, boolean, etc. The records follow the table schema stored in the file's header. Other software, including spreadsheet applications or database systems, can open or convert these files to view or manipulate the data.

For the version 7 dBASE .dbf format the file begins with a header that specifies the file version among other metadata. The header is followed by field descriptors defining each field's name, type, length, and decimal count. Data records follow, each exactly the same length, holding the field values in the order given in the descriptors. The file ends with a one‐byte end‐of‐file marker.

DBF opener for Windows

We have identified one DBF opener that is compatible with this specific type of DBF file.

Psion Database File

The Psion Database File format is the on-device format used by Psion handhelds running the EPOC/SIBO 16-bit system and its OPL programming environment to store structured data (databases) such as contact lists, simple records, or tables. It is produced by Psion's built-in Data application and by OPL commands like CREATE, UPDATE, OPEN, APPEND, ERASE. It enables filing, editing, and searching records on Series 3, Series 3a, Series 3c, Siena, Workabout, and similar devices.

A file in this format consists of a sequence of records; each record holds multiple fields. Field names are specified when the file is created, up to 32 fields are allowed; names may be up to 8 characters including any type qualifier (% for integer, & for long, $ for string). All fields are initially empty (zero or null). Records are added with APPEND and altered with UPDATE; deleted records are marked - not physically removed - until file compression or similar tool reclaims space. There is a maximum record length (on older devices) of 1022 characters. Long records (over 255 characters) are stored split into parts by the system.

Developers writing in 'C' via the SIBO SDK use APIs named DbfOpen, DbfExtHeaderWrite etc. The format begins with a file signature string of "OPLDatabaseFile". Only the field names / types record and data (type 1) records are processed by OPL; other records are ignored.

Internally the file has a leading field-information (or header) record and then the data records. A data record begins with a byte marking its type, followed by the field values of that record. Field values for each record are separated internally by ASCII character 9 (tab).

Byte signature at offset 0: ASCII "OPLDatabaseFile".

Sybase IAnywhere Database File

Sybase IAnywhere Database Files are tables written using the xBase/DBF file format as supported by the Advantage Database Server technology (previously known as Advantage Database Systems). These files hold structured tables of records with fixed-length fields, largely characteristic of older CA-Clipper, FoxPro, or dBASE III+ table formats. They are used when backward compatibility with legacy systems is required, or when applications leverage DBF-based data storage under the Advantage server.

Fields in these files are defined by type (such as character, numeric, logical, date, memo), record layout is fixed, and rows are inserted, deleted, and indexed using supported DBF-index types (NTX for Clipper, CDX/IDX for FoxPro xBase styles). Memo or large variable fields are stored in separate companion files (DBT or FPT) to avoid bloating the table file itself. The format is created by the Advantage Database components of Sybase iAnywhere.

Tables using this DBF format have limits and behaviors inherited from traditional xBase systems: maximum field name lengths of around 10 characters, no built-in NULL support (fields hold "empty" values rather than NULL), deleted records are marked but retained until a "pack" operation removes them. In contrast, newer proprietary formats (ADT) in Advantage provide enhancements like longer field names, true NULLs, improved index and memo management.

A DBF file of this type can be identified by internal byte signatures, including a zero byte at offset 7, a long sequence of zeroes (32 bytes) at offset 12, and two zero bytes at offset 30.

Visual FoxPro Data File

Visual FoxPro Data File (.DBF) is a table file used by Microsoft Visual FoxPro to store structured data in a relational database environment. It keeps data organized in rows and columns, where each row is a record (such as one person's information) and each column is a field (such as name, date, number). Visual FoxPro can create .DBF files either as standalone ("free") tables or as part of a database container, which groups multiple tables, defines relationships, default values, validation rules, and supports more powerful database features. The format supports modern data types including numeric, date, datetime, logical, memo, currency, and allows some fields to accept null values.

These files are created, modified and read by Visual FoxPro. The program writes the file's header that describes the table layout (number of fields, their names, types and lengths), stores records in fixed-length format in the .DBF file, and when memo or general blob text fields are included it uses separate memo files (usually with .FPT extension) which the .DBF references by block numbers. Visual FoxPro also uses related index files (CDX), and optional database container files (.DBC) that retain metadata about relationships, triggers, stored procedures, and integrity constraints.

In the file header of a Visual FoxPro .DBF file the first byte (byte offset 0) is the "signature byte" with value 0x30 which identifies the file as a Visual FoxPro table. Other header positions include the number of records, the date of last update, record length, and flags indicating whether the file uses a memo file, is part of a database container, or uses a compound index file. Character sets or code page information is also stored in the header. Field descriptors follow, each occupying 32 bytes for each column, defining field name, type, field length, decimal places, nullable flag, and system ("hidden") status.

Programs that open these DBF files

We have identified one DBF opener that is compatible with this specific type of DBF file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of DBF files. Remember, different programs may use DBF files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about DBF file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.