What is ADO.NET?
.NET applications interact with many external sources like databases (SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.), web services (Salesforce, Zoho, etc.), and files (XML, CSV, etc,), thanks to ADO.NET, the Microsoft .NET framework database access technology. You can think of ADO.NET as a bridge that allows smooth communication between the application and the relevant data source.
This guide offers a comprehensive overview of ADO.NET, its essence, structure, main features, supported data providers, and primary data roles, which help it become the key component (or catalyst) in the .NET application architecture.
Introduction to ADO.NET
ADO.NET is Microsoft's data access technology that provides communication between relational and non-relational systems through a common set of components.
In practice, applications use ADO.NET to connect to these data sources, retrieve, and manage data. This way, this technology serves as a bridge between the database and the application backend. It is the most direct method of accessing data within the .NET Framework.
Understanding ADO.NET
ADO.NET separates data access from data manipulation into discrete components that can be used separately or combined. Also, ADO.NET includes .NET Framework data providers for connecting to a database, executing commands, and retrieving results.
The next step is processing the results and loading them into an ADO.NET DataSet (a collection of data tables containing the data). The ADO.NET DataSet can be combined with data from various sources. If needed, you can pass it between different application layers. ADO.NET DataSets can manage locally stored data and operate independently of the .NET framework by sourcing the data directly from XML.
Incorporating ADO.NET includes the following steps:
- 1. Connecting to the database
- 2. Opening the database connection
- 3. Setting up the record set to hold your data
- 4. Opening the record set to retrieve the specific information required
- 5. Extracting the data from the record set and closing it and the connection
Therefore, ADO.NET is helpful for developers ensuring simple and efficient data management for them. A significant plus of this technology is scalability since it allows the users to adapt it to their needs easily.
ADO.NET architecture
The ADO.NET architecture is built to help the users retrieve, manage, and store data more efficiently than they could before, using other tools. Naturally, it comes with several components and layers requiring individual understanding.
Let's see how the ADO.NET components comprise the architecture.
Connection
The Connection class in ADO.NET establishes and manages connections to data sources. It provides methods to open and close connections. Another feature of this class is managing connection pooling, thus enabling the reuse of existing connections to improve performance.
Connection objects simplify connecting to data sources and let the developers focus on building applications. By managing connections efficiently, the Connection class supports smooth and scalable data operations.
Command
The Command class in ADO.NET executes SQL statements, including stored procedures and parameterized queries, against the relevant data sources. The supported commands include SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.
Native and commercial providers offer additional features and support various data environments, providing precise control over data actions and efficient execution of database operations.
DataReader
The DataReader class is responsible for reading data in a read-only, forward-only manner. The most common work scenario for this class is quick reading of large data volumes without the overhead of disconnected data structure.
The fact that the DataReader class uses an open connection and won’t need to store the data in memory makes it extremely helpful when dealing with large databases.
DataAdapter
The DataAdapter class is a bridge or passageway that lets the data pass between the DataSet and the data source. It can also update the database with any changes to the DataSet.
The work of DataAdapter is based on commands. It uses the command objects to execute SQL statements, such as SelectCommand, InsertCommand, UpdateCommand, and DeleteCommand.
DataSet
The DataSet class holds multiple DataTables. This class only works with disconnected nodes and can reduce the overall database load. Hence, it's ideal for scenarios of working with data offline.
However, DataSet is not limited to holding data. It can help users filter the data to find the required information without wasting time. In addition, DataSet allows users to change the information if necessary. DataSets are the shortcuts to handling and managing data without returning to the database repeatedly.
DataView
The DataView class allows viewing the data without altering the underlying structure behind the data, thus becoming some type of all-in-one interface for sorting, filtering, and searching the data. In real-world scenarios, the DataView class enables arranging the records by date and time, filtering them to define the best-performing products, and providing many additional options for viewing data.
