ODBC is an open specification for providing application developers with a predictable API with which to access Data Sources. Data Sources include SQL Servers and any Data Source with an ODBC Driver.
The two major advantages of choosing to code an application to the ODBC API are:
- Portable Data Access Code
The ODBC API, as outlined by X/Open and ISO, is available on all major platforms. Microsoft platforms include many enhancements to this specification; these enhancements are also supported by unixODBC.
- Dynamic Data Binding
This allows the user or the system administrator to easily configure an application to use any ODBC compliant data source. This is perhaps the single biggest advantage of coding an application to the ODBC API and to purchase these applications. Dyamic binding allows the end-user to pick a data source, ie an SQL Server, and use it for all data applications without having to worry about recompiling the application.
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