AppForge

AppForge was a software development company best known for its cross-platform mobile application development tools. Founded in 1999 and acquired by iAnywhere Solutions (a subsidiary of Sybase, which in turn was acquired by SAP) in 2005, AppForge provided developers with a suite of tools that allowed them to create mobile applications using Visual Basic 6.0 (VB6) and deploy them across a range of mobile operating systems, including Palm OS, Pocket PC (Windows Mobile), and Symbian.

The primary product offered by AppForge was AppForge MobileVB. This development environment allowed developers familiar with VB6 to leverage their existing skills to create mobile applications. It provided a visual designer, a debugger, and a suite of controls and components specifically designed for mobile devices. AppForge MobileVB essentially acted as a layer between the VB6 code and the underlying mobile operating system, handling the complexities of different platform APIs.

A key benefit of AppForge's approach was that it allowed developers to avoid the learning curve associated with platform-specific mobile development languages and SDKs. It enabled rapid application development (RAD) and offered a relatively low-cost entry point into the mobile application market.

Following its acquisition by iAnywhere Solutions, AppForge technology was integrated into the Sybase mobile development product line. While the AppForge brand eventually disappeared, its impact on mobile application development, particularly in the early 2000s, was significant, providing a bridge for VB6 developers into the emerging mobile space.