dotConnect Universal represents a standard set of ADO.NET components that offer universal access to data. The components enable access to any data source through ADO.NET interface. The only server-specific item in dotConnect Universal is the ConnectionString property of UniConnection class. All other components do not depend on data source and can be treated same way for all database servers.

The following diagram illustrates the components of dotConnect Universal architecture.

The Professional Edition of dotConnect Universal includes bundled data providers for Oracle, MySQL, SQLite, and PostgreSQL (indicated blue in the diagram). Thus with Professional Edition you can access virtually any database through bundled or standard data providers.

Thus component level of dotConnect Universal is fixed, regardless of what data source will be accessible. As you can see, dotConnect Universal Data Provider contains base components such as Connection, Command, DataReader, and DataAdapter. DataAdapter component serves to interact with DataSet component within ADO.NET architecture.

As dotConnect Universal provider implements ADO.NET interface it can be used at your applications instead of any standard provider. dotConnect Universal is supplied with ready-to-use settings for standard providers. Moreover, any custom data provider can be easily extended to collaborate with dotConnect Universal. For information on how to do it refer to article dotConnect Universal and Arbitrary Data Providers.