What is the difference between connecting to RDBMS using ODBC and native drivers?

Interview Candidate
Oct 29th, 2005
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Answered by: David W.

Mar 29th, 2006

ODBC is an open standard for software providers to follow when creating an intermidate layer between the database and the application using the database. Having "open standards" usually means that different applications can write their code the same way no matter which database they are using, as long as that database comes with an ODBC driver.In contrast, native drivers are built with one specific database in mind. Thus, applications written to use the native driver will only work with one particular database. You will lose flexibility in your code's ability to switch database vendors, but you might gain performance enhancements due to the fact that the driver is custom made for the database and may be able to take advantage of an "insider's view" of the database software.

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Dhayanand darshanala

Nov 3rd, 2005

Rdbms is to connect to databasr through the oracle . Where as ODBC is to connect to microsft and where native is to conenct java with oracle.
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David W.

Mar 29th, 2006

ODBC is an open standard for software providers to follow when creating an intermidate layer between the database and the application using the database. Having "open standards" usually means that different applications can write their code the same way no matter which database they are using, as long as that database comes with an ODBC driver.In contrast, native drivers are built with one specific database in mind. Thus, applications written to use the native driver will only work with one particular database. You will lose flexibility in your code's ability to switch database vendors, but you might gain performance enhancements due to the fact that the driver is custom made for the database and may be able to take advantage of an "insider's view" of the database software.