1. The Firebird licenses
2. Installing Firebird
3. Version 2.5/3.0/4.0/5.x
4. Server modes
5. Installing on Windows.
6. Installing on Linux
7. Server configuration and management
8. Administration tools
9. Working with databases
10. Connection strings
11. Connecting to an existing database
12. Connecting with isql
13. Connecting with a GUI client
14. CREATE DATABASE
15. User management and grants
16. SYSDBA
17. Firebird SQL DDL Basics
18. Tables and other Metadata Objects
19. Firebird SQL DML Basics
20. Backup.
21. The Firebird Project.
Features
The open source Firebird® relational database management system performs excellently and scales impressively, from an embedded, single-user model to enterprise-wide deployments with multiple Tb+Gb databases running with hundreds of simultaneous clients.
Support of all major platforms and operation systems
OS Firebird supports a number of hardware and software platforms: Windows, Linux, MacOS, HP-UX, AIX, Solaris and more. It runs on at x386, x64 and PowerPC, Sparc and other hardware platforms, and supports an easy migration mechanism between these platforms.
Firebird is included into the following Linux repositories: Fedora, OpenSuse, CentOS, Mandriva, Ubuntu.
Multi-generation architecture
One of the key Firebird features is its multi-generational architecture, which enables the development and support of hybrid OLTP and OLAP applications. This makes a Firebird database capable of serving simultaneously as both an analytical and an operational data store, because readers do not block writers when accessing the same data under most conditions.
Powerful and developer-friendly SQL language
Firebird supports stored procedures and triggers, and has comprehensive SQL92 support.
High compatibility with ANSI SQL
Common Table Expressions (CTE)
Flexible transactions management
Full-blown stored procedures (selectable SP enables joins w/tables)
Cross-database queries
Active tables concept and events
User Defined Functions
active tables
Logging and monitoring
Firebird offers Trace API and rich set of monitoring tables (MON$)
Real-time monitoring
SQL debugging
Audit
Events
Partial or full logging
Through remote connection
monitoring
security
Standard security
Users and roles
GRANT/REVOKE on main operations
Database owner concept
Windows Trusted Authentication
Single-sign on for end-users
Integration with Windows domain/Active Directory security
Network
The only network port should be open (3050 by default, configurable)
Aliases (path to the database is not exposed)
Developer Tools
Firebird is supported by numerous database connectivity options:
Firebird.NET
JayBird (Java)
Delphi/C++ Builder drivers (Embarcadero Delphi/C++ Builder IDEs include dbExpress drivers to work with Firebird.)
FreePascal & Lazarus
PHP for Firebird
FireRuby
and more!
More features
True Open Source
Firebird is free for commercial and educational usage: no license fees, installation or activation restrictions. No double licensing - Firebird license is based on Mozilla Public License.
Deployment
Embedded version (in dll) with multi-user support
Native Windows installer available, localized in most popular languages
Run as service or as application
RPM or tar.gz distributions available
Ability to create custom “100% silent” installers
Read-only deployments (database and server can be on CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, etc)
Small footprint (minimal installation is 4Mb, standard is 33Mb)
Performance
Choice of architectures to fit all needs – Embedded, SuperServer, SuperClassic and Classic
Multi-CPU and multi-core SMP scalability for SuperClassic and Classic architecures
Database up to 20 Terabytes supported
Thread-Safe Client Library
Backup and restore
Online backup – ability to create backup copy without stopping database
Online dump – ability to quickly create copy even for very big database
Incremental backup – partially supported Point-In-Time Recovery
Full Text Search
Integration with Sphinx, Full Text Search Engine
High compatibility with industry standards on many fronts makes Firebird the obvious choice for developing interoperable applications for homogeneous and hybrid environments.
The mix of high performance, small footprint, supreme scalability, silent and simple installation and 100% royalty-free deployment make Firebird a highly attractive choice for all types of software developers and vendors.
It is used by approximately 1 million of software developers worldwide.
Firebird works