Familiar foundations
A practical, readable approach to programming, with its roots in Harbour and the wider xBase family of languages.
THE HARBOURNOVA PROJECT
A new direction for the xBase family of languages.
Built on Harbour’s foundations.
Designed to move forward.
HarbourNova is a programming language and compiler project building on Harbour’s foundations within the xBase family of languages. The compiler is being developed for free public distribution.
In development. No public compiler download yet.
JOIN NOW
Community discussion
IN DEVELOPMENT
Compiler & web framework
PLANNED
Free compiler distribution
01 / THE IDEA
Keep the spirit.
Move the language forward.
HarbourNova is an independent project led by Eric Lendvai. It builds on Harbour’s foundations while making room for deliberate changes to the language, runtime, and developer experience.
The aim is evolution, not compatibility at any cost: retain the productive approach of the xBase family of languages, and rethink inherited constraints.
Deliberate evolution
A distinct language direction rather than a promise to run every existing Harbour program unchanged.
Developer-focused
A compiler, tooling, and application-development story being shaped together—not just a new name.
02 / IN DEVELOPMENT
What we’re building.
The compiler and framework are still in development. No public software release is available yet.
LANGUAGE & TOOLINGIn development
HarbourNova compiler
The compiler, runtime, and development tools for the HarbourNova programming language: the foundation for writing and building HN applications.
Repository currently privateRelease questions
APPLICATION DEVELOPMENTIn development
HN Web Framework
A companion framework being developed for building web applications with HarbourNova. More detail will be shared as the project progresses.
Repository currently privateFollow the discussion
Planned compiler distribution: A public HN distribution repository with versioned downloads, documentation, and license information. These release resources are not available yet.
The core and HN Web Framework development repositories remain private. Release availability will be announced here and in the community group.
03 / THE COMMUNITY
Bring your questions.
Help shape what’s next.
You do not need to wait for the compiler to be released to take part in the conversation.
Visit the HarbourNova users groupHosted on Google Groups. Open the group and follow its membership prompts; Google may ask you to sign in.
A place to discuss
Language ideas and practical development needs.
Experiences with Harbour, other languages in the xBase family, and application development.
Project announcements, questions, and constructive feedback.
Joining the group is for discussion and announcements. It does not grant access to the private repositories or an unreleased compiler.
START HERE
The conversation so far.
The original introduction and community invitation, shared with Harbour users.
04 / GOOD QUESTIONS
Before you
get started.
A few things to know at this stage of the project.
Can I download HarbourNova now?
Not yet. The compiler and HN Web Framework are still in development. There is no public compiler or framework release to download. You can join the community for discussion and announcements now.
Will the HarbourNova compiler be free?
Yes. The HarbourNova compiler is being developed for distribution free of charge. License terms and applicable notices will accompany the actual release. A public download is not available yet.
Are the source repositories public?
The core and HN Web Framework development repositories are currently private. A public HN distribution repository is planned when the compiler is ready for an initial release. Joining the Google Group does not grant access to private repositories.
What does “xBase” mean?
Here, xBase refers to a family of related programming languages, including Harbour, Clipper, and FoxPro. It describes the language family, not a separate HarbourNova product or a promise of compatibility with every language in that family.
Is this a drop-in replacement for Harbour?
No. HarbourNova builds on Harbour’s foundations but follows its own language and runtime direction. Existing Harbour code should not be assumed to compile or behave unchanged.
How do I join or ask a question?
Open the HarbourNova users group and follow the membership prompts shown by Google Groups. Use the group for project questions, ideas, and feedback.
When will the first public release be available?
No public release date has been announced. When a release is ready, this website and the community group will point to the distribution repository, versioned downloads, documentation, and license information.
THE NEXT CHAPTER STARTS WITH A CONVERSATION.