FileMaker 2025 is here!

This release marks a major step forward in the integration of artificial intelligence, an improved user experience, and optimized server performance - for both professional developers and businesses. FileMaker 2025 (also known as FileMaker 22) is simply designed to give your productivity a serious boost!

Want to discuss how the features in FileMaker 22 can support you and your business? Get in touch!

 

Highlights in FileMaker Pro 22

Smarter, AI-driven workflows

FileMaker Pro now includes built-in support for large language models (LLMs), enabling truly intelligent app development.

With Semantic Find on Server, you can search related fields using natural language and vector embeddings. Ask questions like “Show me this month’s sales”, and Natural Language SQL Queries will return results in SQL format. You can even perform image-based searches for visual comparison.

By using your own data, you can also fine-tune LLMs to generate results tailored specifically to your business needs.

 

New Tools for Developers

Developers get new features that make life easier - not just when coding!

Code can quickly become a jungle, so it’s helpful to be able to collapse script blocks and organize custom functions into folders. Layout work is also improved, with larger text in layout tools, better handling of grouped objects, and easier identification of field types on objects.

On the JSON front, performance has been improved, and we now get JSONParse() and JSONParsedState() to work with.
You’ll also be able to switch found sets more efficiently using the new script step Go To List of Records - and we love it when things go faster!

Here’s an example of how Go To List of Records can be used!

 

Data Management

It’s also worth mentioning the ability to extract text from PDFs directly into your database using the new GetTextFromPDF() function. For those of you who manage to fill text fields to the limit - congratulations! And now, even more so, as the limit has been increased to 250 million characters.

If you're interested in looking into the future with regression and forecasting models, you’ll now be able to train and use predictive models using your own FileMaker data.

 

FileMaker Server

“But what about FileMaker Server - aren’t there updates there too?” Of course there are!

AI development isn't limited to the client side.
FileMaker Server now supports local open-source models, along with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. You can run, fine-tune, and manage these models directly in the Admin Console, and you can use AI to embed data, generate responses, and execute RAG actions.

On the security side, Let's Encrypt integration has been improved, so automatic certificate requests and renewals now also work on Windows. Through the Admin Console or API, you can now flush data from RAM to disk using Flush File Cache on Demand.

For those working with WebDirect, custom homepages are now fully manageable via the Admin Console and API. You can also disable context menus for secure presentations, and users will now receive a warning before exiting the session if they click the back button in the browser. A small, but important, addition!
Plus, there’s now support for Ubuntu 24, both on AMD and ARM platforms.

 

Bug Fixes

It’s not all about new features - sometimes things need fixing too.
Both FileMaker Pro and Server have received a range of bug fixes and performance improvements. Claris has addressed memory leaks, enhanced support for non-English languages, and improved WebDirect reliability.

 

In summary

FileMaker 2025 delivers a significant boost with AI-driven workflows, semantic search, and image-based data analysis. Developers gain powerful tools like script block folding, function folders, and improved JSON capabilities. Data management is stronger than ever, with PDF text extraction and support for predictive models. On the server side, you can now run your own AI models, manage certificates more easily, and benefit from enhanced WebDirect functionality.

In short: Whether you're building apps, managing data, or administering servers, FileMaker 2025 offers a wealth of new features to help you work faster, smarter, and more future-ready.

Read the full release details on Claris’ website.