Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 8, 2026

MySQL Connector/ODBC

MySQL Connector/ODBC is an ODBC driver developed by Oracle Corporation for connecting ODBC-enabled applications to MySQL databases. It was originally created by MySQL AB and has been maintained by Oracle since the acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2010.

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MySQL Connector/ODBC
DeveloperOracle Corporation (originally MySQL AB)
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, Linux, macOS, Unix-like
PlatformCross-platform
TypeDatabase driver
LicenseGPLv2 with FOSS License Exception
WebsiteMySQL Connector/ODBC downloads

MySQL Connector/ODBC (formerly MyODBC) is an ODBC driver developed by Oracle Corporation for connecting ODBC-enabled applications to MySQL databases.1 It was originally created by MySQL AB and has been maintained by Oracle since the acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2010.2

Overview

MySQL Connector/ODBC enables any application supporting ODBC—including business intelligence tools, office suites, custom applications, and legacy systems—to access, query, and manage MySQL databases using the ODBC interface.13

Platform support and installation

MySQL Connector/ODBC is available for Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, and other Unix-like systems.4 Both 32-bit and 64-bit builds are provided, depending on the system and application requirements.5

The official downloads and detailed installation instructions are provided by Oracle.6 Step-by-step installation guides, including for Windows, are available from Informatica and Hevo Data.738

Configuration and usage

Connector/ODBC supports multiple configuration approaches:

  • System DSNs, user DSNs, and file DSNs are supported on all platforms.9
  • DSN-less connections (using full connection strings) are widely used.10
  • Configuration for DSNs on Windows and macOS is described in official documentation.1112
  • Connection pooling, authentication options, and example usages are extensively documented.1314158

Technical features

  • Compliance with ODBC 3.51 and 3.8 specifications, partial ODBC 4.x support.16
  • Unicode and ANSI driver variants for Windows, only Unicode for Unix-like systems.1
  • Full support for transactions, savepoints, and rollbacks.17
  • Client-side and server-side prepared statements.18
  • Native access to MySQL data types, including JSON, BLOB, geometry, BIT.19
  • Authentication plugins and SSL/TLS encryption for secure connections.14
  • Bulk operations, streaming, connection pooling.13
  • Diagnostics, logging, error codes for troubleshooting.2021
  • An API reference is maintained online.22

Version history

A detailed official changelog and history is maintained by Oracle.23

  • MyODBC 2.50/2.51: ANSI, MySQL 3.x
  • 3.51: ANSI-only, ODBC 3.51 compliance
  • 5.1–5.3: Unicode/ANSI, ODBC 3.8, 64-bit, DSN file support
  • 8.0+: MySQL 8.0+ support, modern authentication, renewed 32-bit support (from 8.0.35)
  • 9.x: Latest releases (as of July 2025: 9.3.0), MySQL 8.x and 9.x

Practical integration and use cases

MySQL Connector/ODBC is commonly used for:

Practical deployment scenarios, configuration advice, and troubleshooting are available in [third-party technical articles].873

Troubleshooting and maintenance

Comprehensive troubleshooting and debugging guidance, including error code lists and reporting bugs, are part of the official documentation.202124

See also

See also

References

References

  1. "Introduction to MySQL Connector/ODBC". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  2. "MySQL Connector/ODBC History". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  3. "MySQL ODBC Connector: Overview, Features & Installation". Hevo Data. Hevo. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  4. "Connector/ODBC Platforms". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  5. "Connector/ODBC Release Notes". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  6. "MySQL Connector/ODBC downloads". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  7. "Installing MySQL ODBC Driver on Windows". Informatica. Informatica. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  8. "MySQL Connector/ODBC in Practice: Installation, Configuration, and Integration". pcffm.de. Meroth IT-Service. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  9. "Data Source Names". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  10. "Connector/ODBC Connection Parameters". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  11. "Configuring a Connector/ODBC DSN on Windows". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  12. "Configuring a Connector/ODBC DSN on macOS". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  13. "ODBC Connection Pooling". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  14. "Authentication Options". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  15. "Connector/ODBC Examples". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  16. "ODBC Standards Support". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  17. "ODBC Transactions". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  18. "Server-Side Prepared Statements". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  19. "Connector/ODBC Data Types". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  20. "Troubleshooting and Debugging". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  21. "Connector/ODBC Error Codes". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  22. "Connector/ODBC API Reference". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  23. "Connector/ODBC Version History". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  24. "How to Report Connector/ODBC Problems or Bugs". MySQL Developer Zone. Oracle Corporation. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
External links