DataAdapter

Last updated
DataAdapter
Developer Microsoft
Written in C# (reference implementation)
Platform .NET Framework, .NET
Included withSystem.Data/System.Data.Common
Type Data access component (ADO.NET)

In ADO.NET, a data adapter (DataAdapter) is an object that acts as a bridge between a data source and a disconnected in-memory data representation such as a DataSet, enabling data to be retrieved into the DataSet and later written back to the data source. [1] [2]

Contents

Overview

The DataAdapter is an abstract base class in the System.Data.Common namespace; provider-specific implementations (such as for SQL Server, OLE DB, or ODBC) typically derive from DbDataAdapter. [1] [3] Data adapters are used with the ADO.NET disconnected model, where an application loads data into a memory-resident DataSet (including related tables, constraints, and relationships) and later reconciles changes back to the underlying data source. [4]

Operation

Filling a DataSet

A DataAdapter populates a DataSet (or DataTable) through its Fill method, using its SelectCommand to retrieve rows from the data source. [5]

Updating the data source

A DataAdapter can persist changes made in the DataSet back to the data source using Update; it applies INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE operations as appropriate based on changes tracked in the DataSet, using command objects such as InsertCommand, UpdateCommand and DeleteCommand. [6]

Schema and table mappings

Data adapters can also configure a DataSet's schema from the data source (for example, using FillSchema) and can map source table names to DataTable names through table mappings. [7] [3]

Implementations

Provider-specific data adapters include:

A DataSet can be filled and updated using multiple DataAdapter instances, and can contain related tables originating from different data sources exposed through different providers. [11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "DataAdapter Class (System.Data.Common)". Microsoft Learn. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "ADO.NET architecture". Microsoft Learn. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 "DbDataAdapter Class (System.Data.Common)". Microsoft Learn. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "ADO.NET DataSets". Microsoft Learn. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  5. ↑ "Populating a DataSet from a DataAdapter". Microsoft Learn. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Updating Data Sources with DataAdapters". Microsoft Learn. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "DataAdapter.FillSchema Method (System.Data.Common)". Microsoft Learn. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "SqlDataAdapter Class (System.Data.SqlClient)". Microsoft Learn. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  9. ↑ "OleDbDataAdapter Class (System.Data.OleDb)". Microsoft Learn. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  10. ↑ "OdbcDataAdapter Class (System.Data.Odbc)". Microsoft Learn. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  11. ↑ "Populate a DataSet from a DataAdapter". Microsoft Learn. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.