Pronunciation: [vˌiːˌɛfpˈiː] (IPA) 
VFP is a three-letter acronym that is spelled as "vee-eff-pee" in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The initial sound "v" is represented by the IPA symbol /v/, followed by the long vowel sound "ee" as /i/ and the consonant sound "f" as /f/. Finally, the letter "p" is pronounced with the voiceless bilabial plosive sound /p/. The spelling of VFP is straightforward and matches the pronunciation of each individual letter.
VFP stands for "Visual FoxPro." It is a relational database management system (RDBMS) and integrated development environment (IDE) developed by Microsoft. VFP was initially released in 1995 as a member of the FoxPro family, and it is designed for building database applications for desktop and client-server environments.
As an RDBMS, VFP allows for the creation, modification, and management of databases. It utilizes a tabular data structure with tables, fields, and rows to store and organize data. VFP supports SQL (Structured Query Language), which provides a standardized way to interact with databases, enabling users to execute queries, retrieve and manipulate data, and define relationships between tables.
The Visual FoxPro IDE is a software toolset that developers use to create and manage VFP applications. It provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for designing forms, reports, and database schema. The IDE includes a powerful programming language called FoxPro, which enables developers to write code and implement business logic into their applications. FoxPro supports procedural programming, object-oriented programming, and event-driven programming paradigms.
VFP offers a range of features and functionalities, including robust data manipulation capabilities with support for indices and filters, data security mechanisms, built-in reporting tools, and an object-oriented programming model for creating reusable components. It also includes an extensive set of libraries and control tools for developing user interfaces and improving productivity. Despite being discontinued by Microsoft in 2007, VFP still has a strong community of developers who continue to use and maintain applications built on this platform.
