Informix 4GL still runs — but it doesn’t scale, integrate, or evolve. Genero BDL, the core language of Genero Enterprise, lets you keep your proven logic while moving to a modern, portable, maintainable environment.
Genero Enterprise is the evolution of Informix 4GL — the language, not the Informix database. Genero BDL is the core language within the Enterprise platform, not a standalone product.
Keep your business logic. Modernize everything around it.
Direct recompilation moves your proven application onto a modern foundation — no rewrite, no functional regression.
From text to graphical UI — Your existing .per forms render automatically as a graphical interface — windows, buttons, menus, tables — with the business logic untouched. Expect only light presentation-layer adjustments.
Unlock new capabilities — Native STRING and extended data types, built-in JSON, XML, pipes and temp-file libraries, integrated dialog blocks and an event loop — no C extensions required.
A stable runtime to build on — Genero compiles to portable p-code that runs on a maintained cross-platform virtual machine — Linux, Unix and Windows — patched and optimized by Four Js.
Backward compatible by design — Direct recompilation of your .4gl and .per source, with no functional regression and no rewrite of form, menu or report definitions.
Informix 4GL vs. Genero Enterprise
Everything the language couldn’t do — without leaving the logic behind.
| Informix 4GL | Genero Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|
| User interface | Text (TUI only) | Text and graphical UI |
| Data types | Fixed-length CHAR | Native STRING, extended types |
| Portability | Platform-bound C binaries | Cross-platform portable p-code |
| Integration | Limited | JSON, XML, pipes, OS access |
| Runtime | Static, legacy | Maintained virtual machine |
| Database | Informix-only | Multi-database |
| Migration | Manual rewrite | Direct recompilation |
Preserve your business logic. Evolve everything else.
Modernize incrementally — no big bang, no forced cutover. Start with a GUI, then add mobile, APIs or cloud when you’re ready.
Enhance UX/UI — Turn dated screens into a clean, modern interface — same logic underneath.
Expand to all devices — Desktop, web and native Android/iOS from one codebase — offline-first with data sync.
Migrate your database — Informix, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB and SQLite natively; Db2 and others via ODBC.
Connect with APIs — REST and SOAP, built-in JSON/XML/HTTP, auth and token management — integrate ERP, CRM and AI services.
Move to the cloud — On-prem or AWS, Azure and GCP — session management and load balancing via the Genero Application Server.
Use containers — Docker / OCI images via the Genero Container Interface (GCI), Kubernetes-compatible, with a CLI for automation.
Evolve your product — Add dashboards, charts, exports and modern authentication as your product grows.
Enterprise reporting — Server-side, high-volume reporting is built in via the Genero Report Engine (distinct from the standalone Genero Report Writer). Explore Genero Report Writer
Genero Voice (Integration underway) — Voice interaction is part of the Genero Enterprise offering. Technical integration into the platform is underway.
Modernize incrementally — start with a GUI, add mobile, APIs, or cloud when you’re ready. No big bang, no forced cutover; your recompiled source and business logic are preserved at every step.
Want a bespoke UI beyond Genero’s rendering — in React, Vue or native mobile? That’s Genero Arc (Reimagine) — a custom frontend on this same, unchanged backend.
One platform, the components you need
Genero Enterprise brings together the components you need across the full application lifecycle:
- Genero BDL (the core language)
- Genero Application Server (GAS)
- Genero Browser Client (GBC)
- Genero Studio (IDE)
- Genero Report Engine (GRE)
- Genero Ghost Client (testing)
- Genero Container Interface (GCI)
Browse the documentation on 4js.com
Customer stories
We do not spend as much time on low-level programming and Genero allows our developers to write functionality focused on our clients.
Alan Wilson, CTO — Versaterm · Public Safety
Four Js is a great partner. We’ve gone through multiple technology shifts together and adapted to our clients’ evolving needs.
Marcos A. Sganderlla, CIO — Tramontina · Manufacturing
Genero allowed us to recompile our 4GL apps with little or no change — and go web and database in one step.
Wagner Rustiguella, IT Director — Hotéis Transamerica · Hospitality
Modernizing? Close the 4GL skills gap.
Our Professional Services team plans and delivers your migration, and our training and certification path builds the Genero skills your team needs for the long run: Professional Services, Training, Certification.
Let’s map your I-4GL evolution path.
- Reuse what works
- Unlock what’s missing
- Migrate without risk
Start with a Plan & Prepare assessment — our experts map your application before anything changes. No big bang, no forced cutover.
Frequently asked questions
Is Genero BDL compatible with my Informix 4GL code?
Yes. Genero directly recompiles your .4gl and .per source with no functional regression — no rewrite of form, menu or report definitions.
Is Genero BDL a standalone product?
No. Genero BDL is the core language of the Genero Enterprise platform, tightly integrated with its tools, runtimes and components for the full application lifecycle.
Will I need to rebuild my screens?
Only lightly. Your .per forms render automatically as a graphical UI; expect some light adjustments to the presentation layer, not a rewrite.
Can I keep using Informix as my database?
Yes — and when you’re ready you can move to PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB or SQLite natively (Db2 and others via ODBC), without changing your business logic.
Does Genero generate C like Informix 4GL?
No. Genero compiles to portable p-code that runs on a maintained cross-platform virtual machine — not platform-bound C binaries.
Can I modernize in steps?
Yes. Modernization is incremental — no big bang. Start with a graphical UI or the web, then add mobile, APIs or cloud when you’re ready.
What about business logic that isn’t documented?
Because Genero recompiles your existing .4gl source rather than rewriting or reinterpreting it, your rules — documented or not — keep behaving exactly as they do today. There’s no reverse-engineering step where intent can be lost, and our Professional Services team can map dependencies before any change touches production.
Am I locked into Four Js?
Your application stays in readable Genero BDL source that you own and maintain — not machine-generated code. It runs on your choice of database and on Linux, Unix, Windows, on-prem or any major cloud, so you keep architectural freedom as you evolve.