Visual FoxPro (VFP) is an old database application development tool that was quite popular in the 1990s and early 2000s for building desktop database applications. However, in recent years, many businesses have been migrating their FoxPro applications to more modern platforms like .NET.
In this article we will discuss the most compelling business reasons for making this transition.
Limited Ongoing Support for VFP
Microsoft officially discontinued mainstream support for Visual FoxPro back in 2007. This means there are no more official updates or patches for security and other issues that crop up over time. While there is still an enthusiastic VFP community keeping things going, the lack of official support from Microsoft is concerning for many organizations. Timely and fast FoxPro migration to .NET gets you back in the fold for ongoing patches and updates to address emerging needs.
Challenges Finding VFP Developer Talent
Given how long FoxPro has been around, there are fewer and fewer developers out there with expertise working in it. As current VFP developers retire or move on to other technologies, companies often struggle to fill open positions requiring FoxPro skills. Transitioning to more widely used modern platforms like .NET makes hiring developers significantly easier these days.
Expanding Business Needs and User Expectations
VFP is primarily geared toward building desktop database applications. As more businesses and users move toward web and mobile apps hosted in the cloud, VFP struggles to keep up. .NET was designed from the ground up to power modern cloud-based applications across multiple platforms. This makes it easier to expand an existing application to the web and mobile world.
Tapping into Advanced Capabilities
Related to the point above, sticking with VFP restricts you to an older toolset and feature mix. Moving to .NET and C# allows you to leverage many advanced capabilities like flexible cloud deployment, built-in artificial intelligence/machine learning APIs, robust analytics options, and more. Expanding the possibilities may be a key driver for those with more complex needs.
Improved Security Features
Security is crucial for most modern applications handling sensitive data and transactions. VFP was created during a much earlier era of computing before many of today's security risks existed. In contrast, the .NET framework provides state-of-the-art security features like encryption, role-based access control, and integration with enterprise authentication systems to harden application defenses.
Cost Savings from Modernization
Continuing to run aging VFP applications can be surprisingly costly between ongoing maintenance, licensing fees, and manual processes. By rebuilding on a modern tech stack like .NET, businesses can realize significant total cost of ownership savings in many cases. The transition cost pays for itself over a couple of years in reduced annual expenses.
Setting Stage for Future Innovation
Migrating from Visual FoxPro to .NET is as much about future-proofing your business applications as anything else. With a modern component-focused architecture and cloud-native deployment, .NET makes it far easier to respond to emerging needs and opportunities going forward. You position your organization for flexibility, efficiency and innovation vs. risking being boxed-in by ageing technologies.
Gradual Transition Path Available
Fortunately, for companies heavily invested in VFP, migrating all their FoxPro apps to .NET does not need to happen overnight. There are intermediate transition technologies like Visual FoxPro OLE DB Provider and Visual FoxPro COM components that allow you to phase in .NET components slowly over time. This means you can dip your toes in the water without a risky rip-and-replace approach.
Concerns to Address When Planning Your Migration
As with any major architecture transition, moving from Visual FoxPro to .NET comes with some common challenges to be aware of. Going in with eyes open allows you to prepare and budget adequately. Some concerns that come up in most companies’ migration roadmaps include:
Code Migration Complexity
Depending on the size and age of your existing application portfolio, the code migration itself can pose headaches. VFP databases and code can be migrated, but changes often need to be made to run optimally on .NET. Plan for testing and iterative code tweaks after migration.
Replatforming Databases
While tools exist to convert VFP databases to SQL Server, the data migration process still requires planning and care. Look out for things like changes to data types, proprietary driver needs, stored procedure breakdowns, and performance testing.
Integrating with Legacy Systems
Chances are your VFP solutions don’t run on their own but integrate with other legacy systems. Code and APIs touching other systems may need to be adapted or re-developed during the transition to .NET.
User Re-Training Requirements
Even if you recreate a similar interface, the move from VFP to .NET often requires business users to be retrained on new application aspects. Be sure to budget user education into rollout plans.
Staged Rollout Complexity
Most companies can’t afford to rewrite all VFP apps at once. This means you’ll need to support both VFP and .NET solutions simultaneously for a period of transition. Juggling both stacks brings architectural complexities.
Moving from Visual FoxPro to .NET necessitates tackling concerns like those above. However, with careful planning and budgeting, none of these are insurmountable blockers for most organizations. And many find the long-term benefits well worth the temporary transition challenges and costs.
Don’t Boil the Ocean
No company can bite off replatforming their entire application portfolio all at once, despite pressure to modernize quickly. Take things in reasonable chunks to avoid overloading resources and budgets.
Migrating from Visual FoxPro to .NET will enable you to boost system security, take advantage of contemporary features, facilitate future innovation and resolve long-term support concerns. Just be sure to tackle this major transition carefully, methodically and strategically based on the recommendations outlined above. With robust planning and discipline, your organization can reap tremendous benefits from leaving VFP behind for the brighter pastures of .NET.
