4D is a relational DBMS that is integrated with an IDE and a proprietary programming language. It allows users to create custom graphical interfaces to work with their database, which can then be run on Windows or Mac OS systems to edit a locally stored database file. 4D can also run as a server so that multiple clients can manage a single database. The latest version of 4D includes "4D for iOS Preview" which creates a customizable iOS app for viewing database contents.
By default, 4D creates a log file with the ".journal" extension when a data file is created. Every modification to the data file since the last backup is recorded in the log file. If the database file is corrupted, 4D will restore the most recent backup and replay the changes in the log. When a new backup is created, the log file is cleared. Backups can be triggered manually or on a schedule. By default, the database will backup every Sunday at 00:00:00, and only the three most recent backups are kept. The database cannot be edited while a backup is running.