West Wind Technologies

What West Wind Technologies does

West Wind Technologies is a privately held, bootstrapped software company founded in 1995 by Rick Strahl and operating from Hood River, Oregon with a team of 1-10 employees. The company builds and sells developer productivity tools targeted primarily at Visual FoxPro developers and adjacent Windows and .NET developer audiences. Its core product lineup centers on the West Wind Web Connection framework, a dedicated web framework for Visual FoxPro that enables MVC-style scripting, REST services, and web application development within the FoxPro environment; supporting products include the Markdown Monster editor for Windows, WebSurge HTTP load tester, Documentation Monster (in beta), West Wind Client Tools utility suite, Web Monitor URL monitoring tool, the Globalization .NET localization library, User Security Manager, and a Web Service Proxy Generator.

The business operates a product-led go-to-market model. Software products are sold as one-time licenses through a direct e-commerce storefront at store.west-wind.com with self-serve purchasing, supplemented by technical support, mentoring, project bootstrapping, and training services delivered directly or through partnerships with CODE Training and Code Consulting. The company also co-publishes CODE Magazine with EPS Software, generating advertising revenue. Distribution is reinforced by Rick Strahl's personal development weblog, an extensive article archive, an active support forum, and conference presentations at events such as Southwest Fox and Virtual FoxFest, all of which function as top-of-funnel content marketing.

The company's economic foundation rests on a niche but technically entrenched installed base of Visual FoxPro customers, a platform Microsoft discontinued in 2007 with mainstream support ending in 2015. Recent product activity through 2025-2026 includes ongoing major and minor version releases across the product portfolio and the introduction of AI features (image generation, AI chat, AI spell/grammar checking) in Markdown Monster and Documentation Monster, suggesting a gradual diversification of the product surface beyond the legacy FoxPro core. No external funding has been raised and the firm is wholly founder-owned.

Name

West Wind Technologies

Legal name

West Wind Technologies

Website

https://west-wind.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

West Wind Technologies builds and sells developer productivity tools — including Markdown Monster, the Web Connection framework for Visual FoxPro, and Documentation Monster — and provides consulting and training services to Windows, .NET, and Visual FoxPro developers via direct web-store sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Product Sales: Direct sales of commercial software tools through the company's web store, including products like Markdown Monster, Web Connection, WebSurge, Client Tools, and Documentation Monster.
2. Professional Services: Technical support, code support, mentoring, project bootstrapping, and training services provided to developers working with web development and Microsoft platform technologies.
3. Training Services: Remote or onsite training for developers in .NET, web and client-side JavaScript development, delivered directly or through CODE Training partnership.
4. Consulting Services: Full service consulting and developer staffing provided through Code Consulting partnership for larger project needs.
5. CODE Magazine: Developer magazine co-founded with EPS Software that accepts advertising from software and computer infrastructure vendors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

West Wind Technologies builds and sells a suite of developer productivity software tools — including Markdown Monster (Markdown editor), Web Connection (Visual FoxPro web framework), Documentation Monster, WebSurge (HTTP load tester), Client Tools, Web Monitor, and Globalization library — sold primarily as one-time licenses through a direct web store. The company also provides Microsoft-platform-focused mentoring, training, and consulting services, and co-publishes CODE Magazine with EPS Software.

Product overview

West Wind Technologies offers a suite of developer tools centered on Visual FoxPro and .NET web development. The core product lineup includes Markdown Monster (Windows Markdown editor), West Wind Web Connection (FoxPro web framework), Documentation Monster (documentation creation tool), WebSurge (HTTP testing tool), Client Tools (FoxPro internet utilities), Web Monitor (URL monitoring), and Globalization library (.NET localization). The company also provides technical support, mentoring, and training services, and co-publishes CODE Magazine. Products are sold individually through the online store with versions and release dates tracked per product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Markdown Monster: An easy-to-use and extensible Markdown Editor, Viewer and Weblog Publishing tool for Windows with syntax highlighting, live HTML preview, inline spellchecking, and AI image generation features.
• West Wind Web Connection
• WebSurge
• Documentation Monster
• West Wind Client Tools
• West Wind Web Monitor
• Westwind.Globalization
• User Security Manager
• Web Service Proxy Generator

Products and services

• Markdown Monster Extensible Markdown editor, viewer, and weblog publishing tool for Windows featuring syntax-highlighted editing, live HTML preview, inline spell checking, AI image generation, and PDF/HTML export, targeted at content authors and developers who publish to WordPress/MetaWeblog-compatible blogs.
• West Wind Web Connection Proven web framework for Visual FoxPro enabling development of web applications, REST services, and server-driven HTML with MVC-style scripting, Web Control Framework, and JSON REST services, targeted at Visual FoxPro developers who want to extend their existing FoxPro applications to the web.
• Documentation Monster Documentation creation tool based on Markdown Monster providing project management for creating, editing, managing, and publishing structured technical documentation as static HTML websites, PDF, or self-contained viewers, with Git integration, FTP publishing, .NET assembly import, SQL database import, and OpenAPI service import capabilities.
• West Wind WebSurge HTTP REST client and load testing tool for Windows that enables creation, testing, and playback of HTTP requests for development testing and web application load testing, with shareable session files and command-line stats output.
• West Wind Client Tools Utility suite for Visual FoxPro providing SMTP and HTTP web access, FTP/SFTP, TCP/IP connectivity, SQL Server data access, JSON/XML serializers, .NET Interop helper components, and configuration management classes, targeted at Visual FoxPro developers integrating FoxPro applications with internet services and .NET.
• User Security Manager for Web Connection Drop-in authentication system for Web Connection providing user authentication, profile management, account validation, password recovery, a user menu widget, and an administrative user management interface, targeted at developers building user-facing Web Connection applications.
• Web Service Proxy Generator for Visual FoxPro Tool for Visual FoxPro that generates FoxPro proxy classes via a .NET bridge interface to call SOAP 1.x web services with just a few lines of code, targeted at FoxPro developers needing to consume SOAP web services.
• West Wind Web Monitor Website and URL monitoring tool that detects failures or changes and notifies users via email or executes local applications/URLs in response to failures, targeted at operators who want an in-house monitoring alternative to expensive online services.
• West Wind Globalization Database-driven ASP.NET Resource Provider and .NET Resource Manager for localizing resources via SQL Server, MySQL, or SQLite, with an interactive web resource editor and two-way RESX import/export, targeted at .NET developers localizing applications.
• Technical Support and Consulting Services Technical and code support services for web development and web architecture on the Microsoft platform (Windows, IIS, .NET, Visual FoxPro/Web Connection), plus full-service consulting and developer staffing delivered directly or through the Code Consulting partnership for larger project needs.
• Mentoring and Project Bootstrapping One-on-one mentoring, pair programming, and project bootstrapping services to help developers learn technology and get projects started, including skeleton frameworks or new base projects for new technology adoption.
• Training Remote or onsite developer training in .NET, web, and client-side JavaScript development, delivered directly by West Wind Technologies or through the CODE Training partnership for additional areas outside core expertise.
• CODE Magazine Developer magazine co-founded by West Wind Technologies with EPS Software, delivering in-depth developer content for nearly 25 years and supported through advertising from software and computer infrastructure vendors.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability7 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CODE TrainingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with CODE Training for providing additional training areas outside West Wind Technologies' core expertise in .NET, web and client-side JavaScript development.
• Code ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with Code Consulting to provide full service consulting and developer staffing services for larger project needs. West Wind Technologies has long partnered with Code Consulting in publishing CODE Magazine and shares development resources for projects of all sizes.
• EPS SoftwarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of CODE Magazine together with EPS Software. CODE Magazine has delivered relevant developer content for nearly 25 years as one of the last standing developer magazines.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HelpNDoc: HelpNDoc is an independent documentation creation tool comparable to West Wind's Documentation Monster. Both serve technical writers and developer teams building user manuals, reference docs, and knowledge bases from Markdown-style authoring.
• Typora: Typora is a commercial Markdown editor for desktop users, directly comparable to West Wind's Markdown Monster. Both target individual developer and technical writer customers seeking a polished Markdown editing experience with live preview.
• Postman: Postman is a leading HTTP REST client and API testing platform, directly comparable to West Wind WebSurge. Both address developer use cases around creating, testing, and saving HTTP requests with load testing capabilities.
• iA Writer: iA Writer is a commercial Markdown writing tool with cross-platform support, directly comparable to Markdown Monster. Both sell to individual technical writers and developers seeking a focused Markdown authoring experience.
• Insomnia: Insomnia is a popular REST API client for developers, directly comparable to West Wind WebSurge. Both target individual developers and small teams needing to create, organize, and test HTTP requests during API development.

Broad incumbents

• MadCap Software: MadCap Software is an established documentation tool vendor (MadCap Flare, MadCap Lingo) comparable to Documentation Monster. It is a larger incumbent in the same technical documentation publishing category with broader enterprise reach.
• Telerik (Progress Software): Telerik, part of Progress Software, sells a broad suite of .NET and web developer UI and debugging tools including Fiddler. It is a broad incumbent overlapping with West Wind's WebSurge, Web Connection, and .NET globalization offerings on the Microsoft platform.
• Redgate Software: Redgate Software sells database development and SQL Server productivity tools to enterprise developers. It is a broad incumbent in the Microsoft-platform developer tools category that West Wind also serves with its Client Tools and utilities.
• JetBrains: JetBrains is a major developer productivity tools vendor selling IDEs and add-ons across multiple languages and platforms. It is a broad incumbent in the developer tools space where West Wind competes for the same developer wallet share.

Emerging players

• Sublime HQ: Sublime HQ develops the Sublime Text editor, an extensible code and text editor comparable to Markdown Monster's editor capabilities. Both serve developer power users seeking a fast, customizable Windows-friendly editing experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/RickStrahl
• GitHubgithub.com/RickStrahl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about West Wind Technologies