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Choosing an UltraLite programming interface

All UltraLite APIs expose core database functionality through a variety of APIs. Some of the following APIs integrate with the development environment to simplify programming tasks.

• C/C++ interface
• Embedded SQL for C/C++
• UltraLite.NET (C# or VB.NET)
• AppForge Crossfire (C# or VB.NET)
• M-Business Anywhere (JavaScript)

UltraLite APIs offer different data access models including a simple table-based data access interface and dynamic SQL for more complex queries. By combining these benefits, UltraLite gives application developers a flexible architecture that will allow for the creation of applications for varied deployment environments.

• UltraLite for AppForge: UltraLite® - AppForge Programming
• UltraLite.NET: UltraLite® - .NET Programming
• UltraLite C/C++ and embedded SQL: UltraLite® - C and C++ Programming
• UltraLite for M-Business Anywhere: UltraLite® - M-Business Anywhere Programming

To choose your programming interface

1. Choose your target platform(s). UltraLite supports Palm OS, Windows CE, Windows XP/embedded Windows XP, and Symbian OS.

2. For each platform you need to support, determine if the API supports that platform. Different APIs support different platforms. If you are doing cross-platform development, choose an API that supports all of your intended targets.

   Use this support matrix to help you quickly identify your development options.

   Deployment targets	UltraLite AppForge Crossfire for MobileVB or C#1	UltraLite for C/C++ and embedded SQL	UltraLite.NET2	UltraLite for M-Business Anywhere3
   Palm OS	version 4 +	version 4 +	N/A	version 5.0 +
   Windows CE	CE 3.0 +	CE 3.0 +	CE 3.0 +, with .NET compact framework 1.0.3705 CE 5.0 with .NET compact framework 2.0	version 3.0 +
   Embedded Windows XP	N/A	Supported	.NET framework 1.0.5000 and 2.0	version 5.0 +
   Symbian OS	version 7.0/8.0	version 7.0/8.0	N/A	N/A

   ^{1 Development for AppForge MobileVB as an extension to Microsoft Visual Basic or to Microsoft Visual Studio.NET.}

   ^{2 Development as an extension to Microsoft Visual Studio.NET. The driver supports ADO.NET versions 1.0 and 2.0.}

   ^{3 For browser-based deployments of UltraLite programming in JavaScript.}

3. Consider the effects of the following, and then finalize your selection accordingly:

   SQL Anywhere compatibility    If database compatibility with SQL Anywhere is a concern, consider the following:

   • SQL Anywhere embedded SQL support provides a common programming interface for UltraLite and SQL Anywhere databases.

   • ADO.NET provides common programming models that are shared between UltraLite components and SQL Anywhere.

   Maintaining a common interface may be particularly useful on platforms such as Windows CE, where both databases are available. If you need to move from UltraLite to the more powerful and full-featured SQL Anywhere database, using embedded SQL or ADO.NET makes migrating your application easier.

   Tip Even though a common interface exists, it is still good practice to create an abstract data-access layer when writing your application.

   Simplified deployments    If simplifying your UltraLite deployment is an issue, consider programming with the M-Business Anywhere API. Your end-users can download both the UltraLite application and the database concurrently.

   Application size    If creating the smallest application footprint is a priority, you should program your application with the C/C++ API. These applications typically yield the best performance and still maintain a small application file size.

   Application performance    Each API has yields a different result in terms performance. For example UltraLite.Net might not perform as well as UltraLite for AppForge in MobileVB. Neither of these will perform as well as UltraLite C++ and, depending on many things, UltraLite embedded SQL might perform better than UltraLite C++.