File with an .IB extension contains a database stored in a structured way with records gathered in tables. Database files are used in the client-server relation and they enable sharing data in a way fully compliant with the SQL language.

The IB format is native to InterBase applications developed by Borland and their source code has been released and on its basis different systems were created. The InterBase database managing system is used to create, in-built into an application, client-server databases – on the client’s side, only a small library is required, which is available on different platforms.