Installation vs. NuGet in dotConnect Providers

Installation vs. NuGet in dotConnect Providers

dotConnect providers can be added to a project in two ways: by installing the product or by using NuGet packages. The choice depends on the project type and the .NET version you are targeting.

This article applies to all dotConnect providers.

Two Ways to Get Assemblies

1. Installation

When you install dotConnect, assemblies for .NET Framework are placed locally and registered in the system. You can find them in:
  1. C:\Program Files (x86)\Devart\dotConnect\MySQL\
  2. Global Assembly Cache (GAC 2.0): C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\
  3. Global Assembly Cache (GAC 4.0): C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\
2. NuGet Packages

Assemblies for .NET Standard and .NET Core (including .NET 6–9) are available via NuGet. This approach integrates easily into cross-platform development and automated build pipelines.

Which Option to Use
  1. For .NET Framework projects, use the assemblies installed with the product.
  2. For .NET Core and .NET 6–9 projects, use NuGet packages.
This separation ensures that the correct assemblies are referenced and that licensing requirements are applied appropriately.

Licensing

Licensing terms differ between the two approaches:

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