Cascade/DBÖ is a revolutionary new relational database engine that can store complex objects in single rows, so you don't have to decompose your data into multiple tables. With Cascade, your apps contain fewer tables, and are faster to design, simpler to code, and easier to maintain. And they run up to 40 times faster due to fewer joins. All without breaking any relational rules.
The secret is Cascade's object-relational, sparse, variable-length architecture. It can physically store multiple values, nested tables, and even multiple tiers of nested tables in a single column value. And at the same time, logically represent this data in separate tables.
So with Cascade/DB, you can finally, where you deem it appropriate, map your complex or hierarchical business objects 1:1 to single rows -- and then access those objects with a single index-lookup/disk-read. That's right -- you can store and access complex data with NO JOINS, which means better performance when you need it most.
This does NOT mean that you're limited to a single table in Cascade; you can have as many tables as you want. And when you need to access just the nested data, you can access it directly -- as if it were in a separate table.
So, instead of multiple columns for Address1, Address2, ... you can store all address values as a "collection" in a single, multi-valued column.
And, instead of separate tables for invoices and line items, you can create an "OrderDetail" column that stores a nested table of line items inside the invoice table!
And Cascade's variable-length storage also means that there's no wasted space when there's no data, so you can put as many columns as you need into a single table. Moreover, you can add, delete, or redefine columns or tables without having to reorganize your database!
Cascade is ideal for accounting and sales management, messaging systems and the Internet, data analysis and statistics -- any real-world applications that your current relational database struggles to handle. It's the first database engine to deliver the object orientation you need without sacrificing the relational framework and the development environment you know.
Cascade works with C, C++, and Delphi through its native interfaces, data-bound controls, ActiveX Data Objects (ADO), or ODBC.