A common question we hear from people is: “Is FileMaker being discontinued?”
Thankfully, the rumors of FileMaker’s death are wildly exaggerated. No, FileMaker is NOT being discontinued. The confusion comes from the fact that the plan was to transition FileMaker Pro away to a new product called Claris Pro, but Claris has now announced that this is no longer the plan.
The overview of Claris’ new product strategy: Claris Pro, Claris Go and Claris Server will no longer be products. Claris is rolling back the Claris platform and merging it into the FileMaker platform.
Going forward the following products will make up the new Claris Platform:
- Claris FileMaker Pro – Desktop client for macOS and Windows
- Claris FileMaker Go – Mobile client for iOS
- Claris FileMaker Server – Linux server (Windows and macOS supported for a while longer)
- Claris Studio – Enabling cloud use cases like web forms with FileMaker
- Claris Connect – Enabling FileMaker integration with other web apps
- Claris FileMaker WebDirect – Web deployment method for FileMaker
Overview of changes:
- There is no longer a required migration from .fmp12 files to .claris. FileMaker products will work with either file format.
- The FileMaker brand is here to stay, including its brand new logo.
- The Freemium version of FileMaker is delayed a while longer…but is still coming eventually.
- Licensing of Claris Studio and Claris Connect will be included with active FileMaker subscriptions.
In our opinion, this is what Claris should have done all along. We fully support this strategy and look forward to using FileMaker for many years to come.
Here is the official announcement video…
If you are looking for a technology partner who fully understands the Claris FileMaker world, let’s talk. We build new FileMaker solutions and enhance existing ones as well. We also have products that extend and integrate with FileMaker, enabling FileMaker adoption by organizations of all sizes ranging from small/medium sized businesses (SMB) to large enterprises.
Tim Cimbura – CEO and Software Engineer
Tim is an expert in creating custom business solutions that make businesses more effective, productive, and profitable. He specializes in rapid application development with the Claris platform including FileMaker and WordPress. He also knows Apple macOS technology inside and out.