Indomitus Group launches indiDatabase 1.0 with Lotus Approach-style apps and local sharing

Indomitus Group has released indiDatabase 1.0, a desktop database for Windows and Linux that revives the visual, no-code workflow many Lotus Approach users lost years ago. The software stores data locally, shares across an office network without a server, and can package full apps as reusable template files.

Why it matters: - indiDatabase targets small businesses, nonprofits, and office teams that want database tools without cloud accounts, subscriptions, or a separate server. - The release is positioned as a modern replacement for Lotus Approach-style workflows, including visual form design and shareable office apps. - The product also appeals to organizations trying to keep data local while still letting multiple people work from the same database.

What happened: - Indomitus Group released indiDatabase 1.0 on October 1, 2026. - The desktop database is available now for Linux and Windows. - The product is designed for users who want to build tables, forms, and reports without writing code. - The software can share databases across an office network without moving the file to the cloud or installing a server. - The company also offers a 30-day free trial of the full product.

The details: - indiDatabase stores an entire database in one file on the user’s own computer. - The file contains tables, data, forms, reports, saved finds, users, and history. - The product uses no account, no cloud, and no telemetry reporting back. - Tables are grouped into apps, so one database file can hold separate workflows such as invoicing, mailing lists, and equipment loans. - Users can switch between those apps with one click while sharing common records. - Any app can be exported as a template file that includes tables, joins, forms, reports, saved finds, and styles. - Only the design is shared. Records do not move with the template. - Indomitus Group says the product ships with ten templates, each a complete working app. - The Windows installer is code-signed by Indomitus Group LLC. - Pricing is $199 one time for indiDatabase and $399 one time for indiDatabase Multi-User. - The Multi-User license covers unlimited computers on the local network. - Updates within version 1.x are free. - If a license lapses, screens still open and reports still run. Saving changes requires a key. - A macOS release is planned.

Between the lines: - The product is a direct response to a customer asking for a modern replacement for Lotus Approach. - Many former Approach users still run the discontinued software in virtual machines. - The release tries to replace both the old visual designer and the office-sharing model that many newer database tools moved behind subscriptions. - Pairing uses a short code read across the room, which suggests a low-friction setup for local teams. - Connections are encrypted and pinned to the host, which signals a security-first approach for in-office sharing. - Record-level and field-level security are enforced in the database engine itself, not layered on afterward. - Deleted records can be restored with full history for twelve seconds after a save, which adds a narrow rollback window for mistakes. - Browse, Find, Summarise, and Preview modes are meant to feel familiar to longtime Approach users. - The designer includes calculated fields, summary fields, validation rules written in the author’s own words, and relationships across tables. - Money is stored as exact decimal. - Reports come in six types: columnar, certificates, label sheets, form letters, crosstabs, and charts. - indiDatabase can import Approach .dbf data files directly, including memo files. - The software automatically offers joins between imported files, matching the way Approach connected them. - Approach form and report layouts do not migrate and must be rebuilt in the designer.

What's next: - Indomitus Group plans a macOS version. - Organizations that want to move from Lotus Approach can rebuild old applications one table at a time using the direct import tools. - The company is also likely to use the template system as a way to spread completed apps between teams or customer sites.

The bottom line: - indiDatabase 1.0 is a local-first, one-time-purchase database meant to recreate the visual database experience Lotus Approach users lost, while adding encrypted office sharing and reusable app templates.