dBase IV is a database management system and programming language that was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s. It allows users to create, manage, and manipulate data in a structured format, providing features like data entry forms, reporting tools, and a built-in programming language for automation. dBase IV was widely used for business applications, particularly in small to medium-sized enterprises, due to its user-friendly interface and relatively low cost. Though it has largely been supplanted by more modern database systems, it laid the groundwork for many database technologies that followed.