---
id: dbf
version: "0.99.11"
license: BSD License
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: aging
---

# dbf — Pure python package for reading/writing dBase, FoxPro, and Visual FoxPro .dbf files (including memos)

License: permissive · Maintenance: aging · Downloads: 84.8K/mo

## What it is and what it does

dbf is a pure-Python library for reading and writing dBase, FoxPro, Visual FoxPro, and Clipper .dbf files. It maps legacy DBF field types (Character, Date, Logical, Memo, Numeric, Currency, DateTime, etc.) to native Python types like str, datetime.date, bool, and decimal.Decimal. The package represents tables as Table objects and individual rows as Record objects, supporting sequence, mapping, and attribute access protocols, plus context managers for automatic file handling.

The library is primarily used for retrieving and migrating legacy data from old database systems into modern storage, and for working with specialized applications like GIS software and personal finance tools that still use DBF format. It supports both on-disk and in-memory tables, custom data types with special semantics (like tri-state Logical values), and nonpersistent indexing.

Use it for:

- Migrate legacy dBase or FoxPro data into a modern relational database or data warehouse
- Read DBF files exported from GIS software or genealogy applications for data analysis
- Parse and transform historical business records stored in Clipper or Visual FoxPro format
- Create or modify DBF files programmatically for integration with legacy systems
- Build data pipelines that consume DBF exports from stand-alone applications

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Reads and writes dBase III, FoxPro, Visual FoxPro, and Clipper .dbf database files, converting between legacy DBF formats and Python data types.

Yes, if you need to work with legacy DBF files. The package has low install friction, no known vulnerabilities, and a permissive license. However, maintenance is aging (last release 346 days ago), so verify compatibility with your specific Python version and DBF variant before committing to production use. It is well-suited for one-off migrations and data retrieval tasks.

## Install

pip install dbf
uv add dbf
poetry add dbf

## Installing dbf

Before you install: Low friction install with a single lightweight dependency (aenum). Last release was 346 days ago; the repository is active and not archived, though the project shows aging maintenance patterns.

License in practice: BSD License (permissive) places no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in commercial or private projects.

Quickstart:

import dbf

table = dbf.Table('myfile.dbf', codepage='utf8', on_disk=True)
table.open()
for record in table:
    print(record.field_name)

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions (3.10+) despite aging maintenance status
- Performance characteristics when handling large DBF files or many concurrent operations
- Compatibility with all Visual FoxPro and Clipper field types in real-world legacy databases

## Package facts

- License: BSD License (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: aging
- Downloads: 84.8K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

dbf file reader writer, dbase database python, foxpro dbf parser, legacy database format, dbf to python conversion, dbase III clipper support, read write dbf files, legacy-data, file-format, data-migration

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