Clarion is a data-centric Rapid Application Development Environment with an emphasis on code generation and reusable metadata to quickly create "corporate quality" applications to manage business data.

At the core of the Clarion IDE is the Data Dictionary -- a metadata repository which stores table descriptions, attributes for defaults on how columns should be displayed on Windows and Reports, business rules, and use options.

The Clarion Application Generator is central to the IDE and works in concert with the Data Dictionary. AppGen creates and maintains applications in a process known as virtual programming. The interactive Application Builder Class (ABC) Classes and Templates work in conjunction with the Application Generator to produce pre-tested OOP code.

The basis for productivity is the Clarion 4GL language, which is purpose-built, database-neutral/data-centric programming language created specifically for business applications. The software can access virtually any data through a combination of ODBC/ADO and native database drivers.

But don't let the automation features leave you with the impression that Clarion isn't suited for hand-coders. Clarion is one of the most productive business languages in existence today, and has been used for writing everything from games and shareware utilities to traffic control systems.