In this episode of FileMaker DevCast, we dive into n8n—a flexible, low-code workflow automation platform that gives you total control over how your systems talk to each other.

We explore how n8n stacks up against tools like Zapier and Claris Connect, and walk through live examples of connecting Google Forms, FileMaker, email services, and even local AI agents. Learn how to build scalable, resilient automations—hosted on your own infrastructure or in the cloud—that will save you time.

You’ll hear about:

Real-world n8n workflows with Google Sheets and FileMaker

The power of "nodes" vs "zaps" and "connectors"

Triggering flows with webhooks, timers, or file changes

Using n8n with LLMs and vector stores for RAG-based AI

The pros and trade-offs of local vs SaaS hosting

Whether you're automating internal tools or building next-gen AI workflows, this episode will show you new ways to think about integration.

Joe, John, and Xandon were able to attend Claris Engage this week, at the Apple campus in Austin. They recorded a DevCast session while still in the capital of Texas, to recap some of their observations and experiences about the latest news and trends in the FileMaker ecosystem. 

Dan Smiley joined as our ever-illustrious host, along with a few more of our Portage Bay staff - Mike Ross, and our newest developers, Evan and Jillian. 

AI remains a prominent topic both at the conference and in our discussion, along with thoughts about LLMs, DevOps, Claris Studio, the Apple campus, and cheese.

Jump on in and listen to more of the details.

The Portage Bay team welcomes Julie Sigfrinius, from Claris, to discuss plans for the upcoming Claris Engage 2025, which is less than three months away. Listen to hear key reasons why you should attend this 26th FileMaker developer conference. 

Get access to product updates and innovations, as well as Claris experts and leaders. Develop your skills through networking, mentoring, and training. 

Learn from the wealth of knowledge and experience that will be represented at Claris Engage. Be inspired by the success stories and innovative use cases that will be shared. Plus foster stronger connections within the Claris community.

Here are some things you can look forward to in Austin, Texas, from March 25th through March 27th. Register today at claris.com/engage.

In Episode 20 of the FileMaker DevCast, join our Portage Bay developers as they talk web apps. Charles, Jacob, Joe, John, Mike, & Russell discuss the nuances of deciding what approach to use when integrating FileMaker data with a web front-end. Do you stick with WebDirect, branch out to using FM BetterForms, or commit to full-stack development?

WebDirect has an advantage of proven simplicity. But it also comes with limitations, such as a non-standard web experience and licensing costs for public-facing applications. 

FM Better Forms can be an excellent fit when you want to provide a polished, web-based user experience while still leveraging your FileMaker expertise. FM BetterForms can reduce development complexity by handling the back-end integration, deployment, and maintenance tasks that would normally be required in a full-stack web app approach. It also includes common front-end libraries - such as Tailwind, Bootstrap, and Lodash - that are kept updated for you.

(NOTE: FM BetterForms is not currently compatible with FileMaker Cloud, since Cloud does not yet support XML web publishing.)

Listen to the episode, subscribe to our channel, and send us your feedback!

#Claris #FileMaker #webapps #WebDirect #FMBetterForms #fullstack #Tailwind #Bootstrap #Lodash #devs #DevCast #calbee #shrimpchips #wasabi

Join us for a very special in-depth interview with Lucy Chen, VP of Claris Engineering. Kate Waldhauser hosts this special edition of the FileMaker DevCast, as Lucy gives us a glimpse behind the scenes of the engineering world at Claris, an Apple Company.

Lucy shares insights as to how new features get into the product and how the latest version improves performance, reliability and security.

She takes us under the hood, diving into the new enhancements of FileMaker 21.1, including the move to newer technologies like Java 17, Xcode 16, and OpenSSL 3.3.

She also covers new features in FileMaker 21.1, such as HTTPS tunneling, improvements to the Admin Console, and the integration of AI-powered semantic search, for both natural language and image content searches.

These changes have come about through Claris’s ongoing commitment to understanding customer feedback. Join Kate & Lucy as they explore how the FileMaker platform continues to empower businesses with innovative capabilities.

Portage Bay Solutions is a custom software development firm based in Seattle, WA, with additional offices in the Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Omaha, Orange County, and Vancouver areas. For more than thirty years, we have been helping businesses of all sizes get the most out of their FileMaker investments. As a full-service Claris FileMaker Platinum Partner, Portage Bay is committed to helping you optimize your software investments and improve your business processes.

#claris #filemaker #devtools #devs #devcast #openSSL #https #tunneling #AI #semanticsearch #innovation #portagebaysolutions #portagebay  #FileMaker21.1

Enjoy Episode 18 of the FileMaker DevCast as our developers discuss JSON, along with special guest Matt Navarre of Navarre Training. We explore the latest tools, techniques, and best practices for using JSON to build fully capable custom applications in FileMaker.

"Basically, if you're a FileMaker developer, at this point ... you cannot afford not to get really good at using JSON. It's ... no longer really an option, even for just regular FileMaker use." - Matt

Some of the areas we talk about are efficiently handling large data sets, integrating with web technologies, and making use of the built-in JSON support within FileMaker. 

Matt Navarre is a veteran developer whose expertise dates back to the early days of FileMaker version 1 (released 4/1/1985). He has a long and successful history in the FileMaker community and today dedicates his time to providing expert training in FileMaker development.

Visit him at navarre.training to continue the conversation and see the class options available, both free and paid, along with other resources.

In this episode of the FileMaker DevCast, we welcome Mike Ross to the Portage Bay team. Mike is a seasoned FileMaker developer with over 35 years of experience and discusses his transition from running a one-person business to joining Portage Bay for continuity of care, shared expertise, and collaboration.

He shares his approach to database development, emphasizing simplicity and client involvement, and answers several questions from his new coworkers. Mike showcases two of the many solutions he’s created - one for a painting company and one for an artist’s collection of works.

He explains his choices in implementing features such as proposal templates, using hamburger menus versus button bars, and following an achor buoy methodology.

Mike also recounts his most challenging project - integrating Google Maps for a well-drilling non-profit in Africa that needed to map the locations of and distances between 3,600 wells.

We are delighted that Mike has joined our development crew and we think you’ll enjoy hearing from him as well.

In this episode of the FileMaker DevCast we welcome Beth Murillo, Operations Manager and Software Developer at The Scarpetta Group, to discuss using Claris Connect for automation and integration between various systems. We share our experiences and challenges with custom connectors, API changes, and error handling. We talk about creative uses of Claris Connect in our work, such as managing support tickets and forms across multiple clients. And we discuss some improvements we’d like to see added to Claris Connect, such as copying flows between projects, tracking flow usage, and adding calculations. Tune in and transform your Claris FileMaker skills.

In this episode of the FileMaker Dev Cast, we step into the critical topic of error logging with the development team from Portage Bay Solutions. Join us as they share their best practices and solutions for effectively capturing and managing errors within FileMaker applications. From common pitfalls to advanced techniques, this episode is packed with insights to help you enhance the reliability and performance of your FileMaker projects. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, you’ll find practical advice and actionable strategies to improve your error logging practices. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the pros and take your FileMaker development to the next level!

Don’t miss out on discovering how AI can transform your approach to database management and client interactions. In Episode 14 of the FileMaker DevCast, we talk more about the world of artificial intelligence and FileMaker. We’ve been looking into how to seamlessly integrate large language models like ChatGPT into FileMaker solutions, to enhance functionality and user experience. We talk about some step-by-step workflows - from setting up the initial API connections to deploying real-world applications - that let us incorporate AI in our projects. Listen in and get some knowledge and tools to start integrating intelligent features into your own FileMaker solutions.