What Is Open Database Connectivity? How Does It Work?

A database is an organized form of data. Different application is based on these databases. Different databases management systems use different format to store and manage the data. For instance, MS Access stores data in the form of 'mdb' files while in FoxPro "dbf" format is used.

Normally the applications are developed for a particular database management system. If we change this database management system, we also have to modify the application to access the data from this new DBMS.

Thus, open database connectivity is a technique for accessing the database from different database management system while keeping the front end applications unchanged.
But it requires a method of translation between applications this application and database management systems such that when application issues a command to access data from a database. It is first translated in a format that is understandable by that particular database management system.

Therefore, an application requires different translators to communicate with databases created by different DBMS. These translators are known as ODBC drivers. ODBC stands for open database connectivity. Applications use an API (application programming interface). These API are actually the set of functions that are called by application programs to perform a particular task. This API call is passed on to a particular ODBC driver. The ODBC then issues a command in the language of DBMS.

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