The Why and How of Connecting FileMaker to the Web

For most organizations, the data driving their business is undoubtedly one of the most valuable assets it has.  Think of it like a treasure that should be protected, kept inside a locked safe from days gone by - a place that only the right people with the right key or combination or password could get to and use.

For our customers, that locked safe is FileMaker.  And sometimes, businesses want to share pieces of the treasure INSIDE that locked safe with other people. Let’s talk about why and, more importantly, how you can make this happen.

Why Connect FileMaker to the Web?

Ok, I know, it sounds crazy - opening up the safe at the heart of your business and sharing what’s inside it with the world. But if you can do it safely and securely, there can be many benefits.  Here’s what that could mean for you:

• Access From Anywhere – No more "I left that report on my work computer!" FileMaker can be accessible from any device, anywhere in the world.
• Better Interfaces – While FileMaker provides users with layout options, you can give your database a sleek, modern makeover with web technologies like ReactJS, ExpressJS, Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, and DaisyUI.
• Integration With Other Services – Want FileMaker to talk to Stripe for payments? Sync with Google Sheets? Send emails? The web makes this easy.
• Scalability – FileMaker is great for small teams, but adding a web layer helps to distribute heavy traffic evenly and keep things running quickly and smoothly.

How Do We Do This?

Alright, enough convincing—you’re on board. Now, how do we take FileMaker and get it mingling with the web? The answer: a combination of front-end magic and back-end wizardry.

Front End: Making Your Database Look Good

If FileMaker’s built-in layouts don’t quite fit your design goals, don’t worry—we’ve got solutions:

• ReactJS – A popular framework to create complex front-end web applications.
• Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, and DailyUI – These are front-end styling toolkits to build custom templates and themes for your website. They offer pre-designed components that look great with almost zero effort.

With these, you can create beautiful dashboards, client portals, and interactive reports that make your database look like it just stepped out of a high-end design studio.

Back-End: Teaching FileMaker to Talk to the Web

Now comes the real magic—getting FileMaker to communicate with web applications. Enter our tech trio:

• Apache – The old-school powerhouse of web servers. Great for hosting static files and has additional features such as load balancing, filtering, compression.
• Express.js – A lightweight, no-nonsense Node.js framework that lets you build APIs quickly. Think of it as the translator between FileMaker and the web.
• PM2 – A process manager that ensures your Express server doesn’t crash and burn when things get busy. It keeps everything running smoothly, even if something goes wrong.

Here’s how they all work together:

1. Express.js sets up an API that takes requests from the web.
2. Express talks to FileMaker using its Data API, pulling out information in a nice, clean JSON format.
3. The data is sent back to the front-end, where your React-based web app displays it beautifully.
4. PM2 keeps the whole thing alive, making sure your web app doesn’t take unexpected naps.

And just like that, your FileMaker database transforms into a web-connected powerhouse. 

Bonus: Making it Secure and Scalable

Of course, you don’t want just anyone poking around in your database. Some best practices:

• Use OAuth authentication – No passwords in URLs, please!
• Enable SSL encryption – Protect data in transit.
• Implement API rate limiting – Prevent abuse by limiting requests per user.

If you’re expecting high traffic, consider hosting your setup on AWS, DigitalOcean, or a self-hosted server, using Apache as a reverse proxy to distribute the load.

Conclusion

So, there you have it—FileMaker, once a quiet, desk-bound database, now ready to conquer the web. By combining the power of a modern front-end framework like ReactJS with a robust back-end using Apache, Express, and PM2, you can create a FileMaker-powered web app that’s accessible, beautiful, and scalable.

Whether you’re building a sleek customer portal, integrating FileMaker with other business tools, or just making your database more accessible, the possibilities are endless. So go on—give your FileMaker system a passport to the internet and let it explore the world. You (and your users) won’t regret it!

If you’re interested in learning more about how The Support Group can help connect your FileMaker database to the web, please contact us.