dotConnect for MySQL - 2025 Pricing, Features, Reviews & Alternatives

dotConnect for MySQL is an enhanced data provider built over ADO.NET architecture and a development framework with a number of innovative technologies. dotConnect offers a complete solution for developing database-related applications and websites. With state of the art ORM solutions such as Entity Framework and LinqConnect, it introduces new approaches for designing applications and boosts productivity of database application development.

Key Features

* Wide Coverage of MySQL Features

dotConnect for MySQL allows developers to harness the full capabilities of the MySQL server and optimize their database applications. dotConnect for MySQL stands out as the set of components with the widest support of MySQL functionality.

* Flexible Connectivity

dotConnect for MySQL can operate in Direct mode without MySQL client library and in Client mode with usage of libmysql.dll. dotConnect for MySQL utilizes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, as well as connections through proxy servers and HTTP tunnels. dotConnect for MySQL supports all MySQL server versions since 3.23, including MySQL Embedded Server.

* Optimized Code

The dotConnect for MySQL assemblies are implemented using optimized code and advanced data access algorithms.

* Comprehensive Support for ADO.NET Technology Features

dotConnect for MySQL supports new ADO.NET features and technologies as soon as they are released. This includes base-class-based provider model, provider factories, connection string builder, metadata schemas, asynchronous commands, pooling enhancements, batch update support, provider-specific types, server enumeration, database change notification support and so on.

* Provider-Specific Technologies

dotConnect for MySQL has extra components designed to simplify some tasks and support MySQL-specific technologies. Particularly, MySqlScript serves to execute series of SQL statements, MySqlLoader serves to load external data into MySQL databases, and MySqlDump serves to backup or restore a whole database or its parts.

* Visual Studio 2022 support

dotConnect for MySQL version 9.0 grants full support for Visual Studio 2022 (version 17.2 and version 17.3 Preview). You can use all features of this Microsoft IDE.

* LinqConnect

dotConnect for MySQL includes support for LinqConnect (formerly LINQ to MySQL), a fast and easy to use ORM solution, completely compatible with the Microsoft LINQ to SQL technology, while extending it with its own features, such as TPT inheritance support, automatic compiled query caching, and advanced error processing.

* ORM Model Designer

dotConnect for MySQL provides its own visual ORM Model Designer for both Entity Framework and LinqConnect models - Entity Developer. It offers you advanced support for Model-First and Database-First design approaches and flexible T4 template-based code generation for the model.

* Connected and Disconnected Models

dotConnect for MySQL combines connected and disconnected data access models in a single MySqlDataTable component, which allows you to design the more flexible application architecture and use the full power of data binding.

* ADO.NET Entity Framework Support

dotConnect for MySQL supports all the Entity Framework versions - Entity Framework v1, v4, v5, and v6 and Entity Framework Core 1.1, 2.2, 3.1, 5.0, and 6.0.

* Development Environments

- Visual Studio 2022

- Visual Studio 2019

- Visual Studio 2017

- Visual Studio 2015

- Visual Studio 2013

- Visual Studio 2012

- Visual Studio 2010

- Visual Studio 2008