/*DataFlex on GitHub: Explore the libraries, grow the language*/

Why GitHub? Why now?

Developers today expect open-source-style transparency, and GitHub is the platform where modern developers collaborate, contribute, and discover. But making libraries available on GitHub is about more than just increasing visibility, it’s about meeting developers where they already are. As Lead Developer of DataFlex, Harm Wibier, explains, “When I look for a solution online, and I see a GitHub link, I feel reassured. It tells me what to expect.”

DataFlex still retains control over its proprietary core runtime, but the GitHub repositories now act as the single source of truth for all open libraries. They aren’t mirrors or copies, they’re the real thing. A quick look at the libraries already available on the DataFlex-dev GitHub reveals the Web API Framework, WebSignature, and DFUnit - with more on the way.

“We’ve supported libraries for years, but they lived on our Download Center. GitHub gives us a way to open them up, literally and culturally, to the rest of the developer world.”

Bram Nijenkamp, DataFlex R&D Engineer

How does this benefit DataFlex devs?

This radically improves the developer experience. Want to customize a signature-capture library? Fork it, tweak it, and even propose your changes directly to the core team. This shift empowers developers to own their changes, while still giving the DataFlex team final say over what gets merged into the official version.

Even better, these GitHub libraries are structured with modern tooling in mind. Paired with the to-be-released Package Manager, devs will soon be able to install, test, and update libraries with a few clicks: no more unzipping files from a static download portal.

“You’re no longer emailing a help desk ticket and waiting for an answer. You’re part of the conversation.”

Harm Wibier, Lead Developer DataFlex

Bringing DataFlex to the next generation

Part of this initiative is about modernization. As Harm points out, “When DataFlex was born, Git, the version control system that tracks changes, didn’t exist. But the world’s changed, and so have our users.”

Many of today’s developers, young and old, start their search for tools on GitHub. By publishing libraries there, DataFlex becomes not just more accessible, but more discoverable. Developers looking for solutions, whether it’s API integrations, encryption utilities, or touchscreen input, can now stumble across a DataFlex library, dive into the code, and realize: ‘This is the tool I’ve been looking for!’

This strategy also welcomes contributions from the broader community, GitHub-native developers who are eager to improve and remix what they find.

And that visibility matters. The DataFlex team is also working to get DataFlex recognized as an official language on GitHub. To make that happen, GitHub needs to see real DataFlex code (.pkg files and all) spread across multiple repositories by multiple developers. That’s where the community comes in.

Did you develop libraries, tools, or even full applications? Put them on GitHub under your personal account. Every contribution helps increase the visibility of the language and shows the world what’s possible with DataFlex.

See what’s new and what’s possible

DataFlex is inviting its community to help shape the future of its ecosystem. Whether you’re customizing DataFlex libraries for your product, contributing improvements, or simply exploring what DataFlex can do – GitHub is now the place to start.

Visit DataFlex on GitHub now and start building today!

Note: This blog was written by a copywriter, after a great chat with Bram, Harm and Jolanda!