dotConnect for DB2: Devart's ADO.NET Provider for IBM Db2, With EF Core and Visual Studio Tools
dotConnect for DB2 is a $219.95 ADO.NET data provider from Devart for .NET developers whose applications talk to IBM Db2 for Linux, Unix and Windows (version 9.x and later). It runs on .NET 5 to 11 and .NET Framework 2.0 to 4.8 on Windows, Linux and macOS, supports Entity Framework Core 1 to 11, EF6, Dapper and NHibernate, and adds a bulk loader, script and dump components, SQL tracing and Visual Studio design-time tools.
Db2 is often the database a .NET team inherits rather than chooses: an insurance, banking or manufacturing system that has run on it for decades, and now a new web API or reporting service has to read from it. dotConnect for DB2 gives you an EF Core provider and Visual Studio tooling for that job from a vendor that updates it every month or two. It does still rely on IBM's Db2 client underneath.
Quick facts
- Version: 5.3.248, released November 11, 2026 (added .NET 11 and EF Core 11 support)
- Developer: Devart
- Database: IBM Db2 for LUW 9.x and later. An IBM Db2 client must be installed on the machine
- .NET platforms: .NET 5 to 11, .NET Core 2.0 to 3.1, .NET Standard 2.0/2.1, .NET Framework 2.0 to 4.8, ASP.NET Core, Blazor, .NET MAUI, Mono
- Operating systems: Windows, Linux and macOS, x64 and x86
- ORMs: EF Core 1 to 11, Entity Framework 1 to 6, Dapper 1.x and 2.x, NHibernate 1.x to 5.x
- Packages: Devart.Data.DB2 and Devart.Data.DB2.EFCore on NuGet. The Windows installer is 22.76 MB
- Price: $219.95 for one developer with one year of updates and support. Server $699.95, OEM for 10-100 devices $4,999.95. No free edition
- Trial: fully functional for 30 days, no credit card. A free Devart account and a trial activation key are needed
- What we checked: version 5.3.248 and the 22.76 MB download size on Devart's download page, the revision history back to 2022, Devart's installation guide and FAQ, and the order page on November 13, 2026: $219.95 for the default single-developer, one-year license, $699.95 for Server and $4,999.95 for OEM for 10-100 devices. We didn't install it or connect it to a Db2 server.
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Overview
dotConnect for DB2 follows the standard ADO.NET model (DB2Connection, DB2Command, DB2DataReader, data adapter, provider factory, connection string builder), so code written for IBM's own .NET provider moves across with renamed types. It connects through an IBM Db2 client installed on the machine (Devart's guide links to IBM's Data Server drivers), and supports SSL connections with a client keystore.
The revision history shows a real shift. Until version 4.0 in November 2023, dotConnect for DB2 was a .NET Framework product; 4.0 added .NET Core and .NET 5 to 7 and put the provider on NuGet. Since then it has picked up .NET 8, 9, 10 and 11, Visual Studio 2026, key-based activation and a LoadLicenseKey() method, with releases every month or two. Version 5.3.248 also added a .NET Framework 4.5.1 assembly to the NuGet package.
Server Explorer in Visual Studio with a Db2 connection open: the SAMPLE database's tables and the EMPLOYEE table's rows in the query grid.
Features
EF Core, EF6, Dapper and NHibernate
dotConnect for DB2 ships an EF Core package and supports Entity Framework Core 1 to 11 and EF 1 to 6, with spatial types, inheritance mapping (TPH, TPT and TPCT models), stored procedures and functions, and ASP.NET Core Identity 10 (added in September 2026). It also works with Dapper and NHibernate. Devart's visual model designer, Entity Developer, works with it but is licensed separately; the installer offers to download it.
An entity model of the Db2 SAMPLE database in Entity Developer (sold separately): the EMPLOYEE and DEPARTMENT classes with their navigation properties, and the generated C# files in Solution Explorer.
Bulk loading, scripts and dumps
dotConnect for DB2's DB2Loader loads large sets of rows much faster than single INSERT statements, and batch updates cut round trips further. DB2Script runs multi-statement scripts, including huge script files loaded on the fly, and DB2Dump saves a database or part of it as a script for later restore. Array binding and large objects are supported.
SQL tracing with DB2Monitor and dbMonitor
dotConnect for DB2's DB2Monitor component traces every statement the provider sends, per component, with optional output to the IDE, and the free dbMonitor utility shows commits, rollbacks and statements as they happen. On a shared Db2 server where every query counts, this is the quickest way to see what your data layer actually does.
DB2DataTable and smarter fetching
dotConnect for DB2's DB2DataTable fetches, edits and saves one table or query result without a separate adapter. It can fetch in the background (NonBlocking mode), on demand as a grid scrolls, or page by page, defer large columns, refresh individual records, and build master-detail relations from queries. WinForms apps also get the DataLink component and InterForm technology.
Visual Studio design-time tools
dotConnect for DB2 adds a "DB2 Server (dotConnect for DB2)" data source to Server Explorer in Visual Studio 2015 to 2026, so you can browse tables and preview data in the IDE. It also includes a DataSet Wizard for typed Db2 datasets, a DataSet Manager and Editor, component editors with SQL highlighting and code completion, and a Migration Wizard for projects that use the ODBC or OLE DB providers.
The Add Connection dialog with DB2 Server (dotConnect for DB2) as the data source: server, user ID, password, database and schema. The project's clidriver folder holds IBM's Db2 client.
Benefits
- Modern .NET against an old database. A .NET 11 service on Linux and a .NET Framework 2.0 WinForms app can use the same vendor library against the same Db2 server.
- Less plumbing. Bulk loading, script running, dumps, tracing and paged fetching come as ready components.
- Same API as other Devart providers. Teams that also use dotConnect for Oracle, SQL Server or PostgreSQL keep one set of patterns.
- Vendor support. A paid license includes a year of updates and support, and priority support is sold on the order page.
Real-World Uses
- A REST API over a legacy Db2 system. An ASP.NET Core service scaffolds an EF Core model from existing Db2 tables and exposes them to a new web front end.
- Nightly loads into Db2. A batch job pushes files from partners into Db2 staging tables with DB2Loader.
- Keeping a WinForms client alive. An internal app built on typed datasets gets its DataSet Wizard back in Visual Studio 2022 or 2026.
- Finding slow screens. A developer turns on dbMonitor to see which component sends which statement to the shared Db2 server.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
It's for .NET teams working against Db2 for LUW who want EF Core support, Visual Studio tooling and vendor support in one package, and shops that already standardize on Devart's dotConnect providers.
Skip it if IBM's own free .NET provider for Db2 already covers what you need, since dotConnect still needs IBM's client underneath. Check carefully if your Db2 runs on z/OS or IBM i: Devart lists Db2 for LUW 9.x and later. And if you connect to Db2 plus several other databases, compare it with dotConnect Universal.
Usage Guide
- Install a Db2 client. Install IBM's Data Server driver or client on the development machine and on every machine the app will run on.
- Get the trial. Sign in with a free Devart account on the download page and run the Windows installer with Visual Studio closed. Choose "Minimal" on a machine without Visual Studio. Untick Entity Developer if you don't want it.
- Or add the package. Run
dotnet add package Devart.Data.DB2 (plus Devart.Data.DB2.EFCore for EF Core). The NuGet route needs an activation key in the License Key connection string parameter, even for the trial.
- Connect. In Visual Studio, open Server Explorer, add a connection, choose DB2 Server (dotConnect for DB2), and enter the server, user, password, database and schema.
- Write code. Use
DB2Connection, DB2Command and DB2DataReader from the Devart.Data.DB2 namespace, or scaffold an EF Core model.
- Deploy. Ship the Devart runtime assemblies and the license resource with your app, and remove trial assemblies before building the release.
Before you buy
The $219.95 license is perpetual for the version you buy and includes one year of new versions, fixes and support; Devart's FAQ confirms the provider keeps working after the subscription year ends. There's no free edition of dotConnect for DB2, unlike some other dotConnect providers. Two- and three-year terms, Team and Site licensing and priority support are chosen on the order page.
Where it falls short
- It needs IBM's client. Unlike Devart's direct-mode providers for Oracle or MySQL, dotConnect for DB2 can't connect without a Db2 client on each machine.
- Licensing trips people up. Devart's FAQ spends a long section on "License not found" and "License not valid" errors from missing licenses.licx files, old trial assemblies or class libraries, and the fix is often to uninstall, clean the GAC and reinstall.
- Visual Studio Express editions get less. No provider menu, no automatic toolbox registration and no advanced Server Explorer integration.
- Design-time tools are Windows-only. On Linux and macOS you get the NuGet library, not the wizards.
- Short track record on modern .NET. .NET Core support only arrived in November 2023, so older forum answers that say it's Framework-only are out of date.
What Users Say
Public user reviews of dotConnect for DB2 are almost nonexistent: Capterra, GetApp and PeerSpot list it without written reviews, and Devart's site has no testimonial page for it. That's typical for a niche connector for one enterprise database. Devart's support forum is where users ask questions, and Devart's FAQ reflects what comes up most: licensing errors after moving from the trial to a paid copy, Entity Framework "store provider cannot be found" errors when the EF assemblies aren't deployed, and the limits of Visual Studio Express editions. If you rely on peer opinions, ask Devart for a reference customer, and use the full 30-day trial against your own Db2 server.
Comparisons
dotConnect for DB2 vs IBM's own .NET provider
IBM ships a free .NET data provider and EF Core support for Db2 with its client packages. dotConnect for DB2 costs $219.95 and runs on top of an IBM client too, so the choice is about what's added: DB2Loader, DB2Script and DB2Dump, DB2Monitor and dbMonitor tracing, DB2DataTable with paged fetching, typed-dataset tools and Server Explorer integration in Visual Studio 2015 to 2026, EF Core 11 support on release day, and Devart's support. If IBM's provider works for you, there's little reason to pay.
dotConnect for DB2 vs dotConnect Universal
dotConnect Universal ($269.95 for the Developer edition) gives one API over SQL Server, Oracle, Db2, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, InterBase, Firebird and other ADO.NET, OLE DB and ODBC providers. dotConnect for DB2 is the dedicated provider, with EF Core support and Db2-specific components. Pick Universal for multi-database code with one API, and dotConnect for DB2 when Db2 is the main database and you want EF Core.
Editions and Pricing
Every license is ordered with the same Buy Now button: you pick the edition, term, license type and support on the order page. Prices below are the one-year, single-license prices on November 13, 2026.
| Edition | Price | Who can use it |
|---|
| Developer (the order page's default, labelled Professional at checkout) | $219.95 | One developer, all features, one year of updates |
| Server | $699.95 | One server of one organization |
| OEM for 10-100 Devices | $4,999.95 | Redistribution to third parties inside your application |
The order page also offers 2- and 3-year terms, Team and Site licensing, an OEM tier for 100+ devices, priority support, and volume discounts of 5% to 15% from five licenses up.
FAQs
Does dotConnect for DB2 need the IBM Db2 client?
Yes. dotConnect for DB2 needs a Db2 server client installed on each machine that connects to the database, and Devart's getting-started page links to IBM's instructions for installing it.
Does dotConnect for DB2 support EF Core 10 and 11?
Yes. dotConnect for DB2 supports Entity Framework Core 1 through 11; EF Core 11 and .NET 11 support arrived in version 5.3.248 on November 11, 2026.
Can I keep using dotConnect for DB2 after the subscription year?
Yes. dotConnect for DB2 licenses are perpetual, so the version you have keeps working. The subscription only covers new versions, fixes and support; renew it when you need a newer .NET or Visual Studio release.
Does dotConnect for DB2 run on Linux?
Yes. dotConnect for DB2's NuGet packages run on Windows, Linux and macOS with modern .NET, with the Db2 client installed there too. Version 5.1.33 fixed license key activation on Red Hat-based distributions. The installer and Visual Studio tools are Windows-only.
Is there a free version of dotConnect for DB2?
No. dotConnect for DB2 has no free Express edition. The 30-day trial is fully functional, but it needs an activation key from your Devart account.
Do I pay royalties to ship an app built with dotConnect for DB2?
No. Apps built with dotConnect for DB2 ship its runtime assemblies with no per-installation fee. Redistributing the provider to other companies inside your product needs the OEM license.
Can I get a refund for dotConnect for DB2?
Yes. Devart refunds dotConnect for DB2 purchases within 30 days if you aren't satisfied, so test the trial against your own Db2 server first.
System Requirements
- .NET 5.0 to 11.0, .NET Core 2.0 to 3.1, .NET Standard 2.0/2.1, or .NET Framework 2.0 to 4.8
- IBM Db2 for Linux, Unix and Windows 9.x or later
- An IBM Db2 client or Data Server driver on each machine
- Windows, Linux or macOS, x64 or x86
- Visual Studio 2015 to 2026 for the design-time tools (Windows)
- A free Devart account to download the trial
Conclusion
dotConnect for DB2 is worth $219.95 to a .NET team that has to build on Db2 for LUW and wants a supported EF Core provider, bulk loading, tracing and Visual Studio tools that keep up with each new .NET release. The license is perpetual, so it's a one-time cost unless you need updates. The main reason not to buy it is that it still sits on IBM's Db2 client, and IBM's own free provider may already do what you need. There are almost no public reviews, so run the 30-day trial against your real Db2 server before deciding.
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