4th Dimension's superiority over other databases is partially due to the fact that 4D requires minimal maintenance. However, all databases are complex and thus susceptible to problems unless certain maintenance procedures are followed.
4D is an integrated development platform – a single product comprised of the components you need to create and distribute professional applications. Beyond productive development, 4D is renowned for its great flexibility in maintenance and modification of existing applications, and its extreme ease of implementation in its numerous deployment options.
4D Server is the multi-user, cross-platform data and application server for 4th Dimension. With 4D Server, you can create and use multi-user databases and custom applications in a client/server architecture. The platform-independent client/server architecture seamlessly manages databases for both Windows and Macintosh 4D clients.
4D Server includes professional-strength development tools, full scalability, data security, and connectivity options for enterprise systems. 4D Server provides a completely integrated architecture whereby both client and server use a single 4D application. 4D Server frees developers from the need to design separate front-end and back-end applications. In addition, 4D Server is a "zero admin" server. It is easy to install, use, and administer, and is extremely cost-effective.
With 4D Server, the front-end and the back-end application are one and the same. The client software and the server application are two faces of the same product, 4th Dimension. The 4D Server application itself is divided into two parts—4D Server and 4D Client—which correspond to the elements in client/server architecture.
4D Server guarantees optimized client access management by using powerful client/server processes. Administrative tasks, such as backup or memory optimization, are handled automatically from the server. Even deployment of client application updates are fully automated, which makes 4D Server a true zero administration server.
4D servers can communicate with external databases (Oracle, Microsoft, etc.) as easily as with Web services on any platform (Microsoft .NET, J2EE, Apple) or application (SAP, MS Office).
