.NET Classes

ADO.NET 2.0 introduced a new set of classes that provide an additional, more generic interface between applications and data sources.

Predecessors of ADO.NET 2.0 opted for a tighter factoring of data providers into each specific instance of the data provider used by an application. In contrast, ADO.NET 2.0 and higher deliver a new set of base classes that permit applications to handle a heterogeneous set of data sources with a single API, much like is done with ODBC and JDBC today. This means that in ADO.NET 2.0 and higher, all data classes derive from base classes, and exist in a specific dedicated namespace, System.Data.Common.

The data provider supports:

• .NET Base Classes
• Provider-specific Classes
• DataDirect Classes