ADO.NET SQL Connection Providers for SQL Server Compared
Selecting an ADO.NET provider may seem like a simple, one-time decision, but it can affect performance, compatibility, and long-term maintainability for years. The provider sits between your application and SQL Server and affects everything from connection management and authentication to support for new database features. Also, today, SQL Server 2025 delivers new cloud-optimized features and modern security and System.Data.SqlClient has become legacy software.