ODAC: Delphi Components That Talk to Oracle Without an Oracle Client
Oracle Data Access Components (ODAC) is a $349.95 Devart library that connects Delphi, C++Builder and Lazarus applications to Oracle, either through the Oracle Client or directly over TCP/IP with no client installed. It's for developers whose applications live on Oracle and use what Oracle offers: PL/SQL packages, Advanced Queuing, alerts, LOBs and object types.
If you've shipped a Delphi application to Oracle sites, you know the routine: every PC needs the right Oracle Client, the right bitness and a working tnsnames.ora before your program can even log in. ODAC's Direct mode removes that step, and its Oracle-specific components cover the parts of Oracle that generic data access layers leave out.
Quick facts
- Version: 15.1.0, released September 29, 2026
- Developer: Devart
- IDEs: Delphi and C++Builder from version 6 up to RAD Studio 13 Florence, every edition including Community, plus Lazarus 4.8 and Free Pascal 3.2.2 (Professional with Source Code edition only)
- Targets: Windows (32-bit, 64-bit, ARM64EC), macOS (64-bit, Apple Silicon), Linux, iOS and Android. The Standard edition builds for Windows only
- Frameworks: VCL, FireMonkey (FMX) and Lazarus LCL
- Databases: Oracle 26ai, 23c, 21c, 19c, 18c, 12c, 11g, 10g, 9i and 8i, including Oracle Express and Oracle Cloud
- Price: $349.95 for Professional, one developer, with a year of updates and support. Standard is $229.95
- Trial: 60 days, fully functional, for evaluation only. A free Devart account is needed to download it
- Guarantee: 60-day money-back guarantee
- Download size: 48.83 MB for the RAD Studio 13 installer
- What we checked: version 15.1.0 and its 48.83 MB RAD Studio 13 installer on Devart's download page, and the Professional license for one developer at $349.95 on the order page (renewing at $179.95 a year), both on October 15, 2026
Before you buy: Standard or Professional?
Direct mode is in Professional only. ODAC Standard ($229.95) connects through an installed Oracle Client, builds for Windows only, and leaves out TOraTransaction, TOraLoader, TOraPackage, TOraAlerter, TOraQueue, TOraChangeNotification, TOraTrace, TOraMetaData, the encryptor and the DataSet Manager. If you want to deploy without an Oracle Client, target macOS, Linux or mobile, or use any of those components, buy Professional ($349.95). Lazarus needs the Professional with Source Code edition.
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Overview
ODAC replaces the BDE, dbExpress or FireDAC layer between your code and Oracle with a set of TDataSet-compatible components: TOraSession for the connection, TOraQuery, TSmartQuery and TOraTable for data, TOraStoredProc and TOraSQL for PL/SQL, and TOraScript for scripts. Because they descend from TDataSet, your grids, data-aware controls and reports (including InfoPower and ReportBuilder) work with them unchanged.
ODAC connects two ways: through the Oracle Call Interface of an installed Oracle Client (any version from 8i to 23c, including Instant Client), or in Professional's Direct mode, over TCP/IP with no client at all. Version 15.1, released September 29, 2026, added RAD Studio 13 Florence Release 2 and Lazarus 4.8 support, improved the ARM64EC target, added an AutoCommit property to the script component, and fixed a TOraAlerter hang when the connection drops and a session disconnect when calling ChangePassword.
Features
Direct mode: no Oracle Client on the user's PC
ODAC Professional connects to Oracle directly over TCP/IP, using a Service Name or SID, EZCONNECT strings or tnsnames.ora entries with IFILE. It supports RAC servers, IPv4 and IPv6, Oracle 23c connection modes, passwords longer than 30 characters, and changing an expired password. In practice you ship one executable, with no Oracle Client install, and every Oracle data type works in both OCI and Direct modes.
The Oracle features generic layers skip
ODAC goes deep into Oracle. TOraQueue and its admin components handle Advanced Queuing. TOraPackage and the Oracle Package Wizard wrap PL/SQL packages as Delphi classes. TOraAlerter handles alerts and pipes, TOraChangeNotification reacts to server-side changes, TOraTrace drives DBMS_TRACE and SQL trace, and TOraLoader uses the Direct Path interface for bulk loads. There's also distributed transactions, Transparent Application Failover, OCI connection and proxy session pooling, statement caching and DML array operations.
Every Oracle data type, including the awkward ones
ODAC maps Oracle objects (including NOT FINAL types), nested tables, PL/SQL tables and records, REF CURSORs (you can fill one dataset from several), XMLTYPE, TIMESTAMP and INTERVAL, the BOOLEAN type of Oracle 23c and later, and the JSON type of Oracle 21c and later. LOBs can be read directly, and temporary LOBs are handled for you.
Speed on big result sets
ODAC fetches large blocks in a controlled way, and SmartFetch mode lets users scroll back and forth through huge datasets without loading everything. Cached updates are applied in batches, and NonBlocking mode runs queries and fetches in background threads so the UI stays responsive.
Tools around your queries
ODAC Professional adds TCRBatchMove for copying data between any TDataSet descendants, TOraMetaData, TOraEncryptor for encrypting sensitive fields, TOraErrorHandler for customizing Oracle error messages, and TVirtualTable for in-memory data. TOraSQLMonitor and the free dbMonitor tool show every SQL statement and its parameter values as your application runs. Secure connections over SSL, SSH or HTTP tunneling work with Devart's SecureBridge components.
Benefits
The big payoff is deployment. Without an Oracle Client to install and configure, a new customer site is a file copy, and the support calls about client versions and 32-bit versus 64-bit mismatches go away. The second payoff is reach: when an application leans on Advanced Queuing, PL/SQL packages or change notification, ODAC gives you components for them instead of hand-written OCI calls.
ODAC also protects older code. It supports every IDE back to Delphi 6, keeps a BDE- and ADO-compatible interface, and includes a Migration Wizard, so a legacy BDE application can move onto a current Oracle release without a rewrite of its data access.
Real-World Uses
- Hospital and ERP systems on Oracle: client/server applications with hundreds of concurrent users, where ODAC's connection pooling and batch updates matter.
- Shipping to customer sites: a Delphi product installed at many Oracle shops, using Direct mode so no site needs an Oracle Client.
- Event-driven back ends: services that read Oracle Advanced Queuing messages with TOraQueue or react to table changes with TOraChangeNotification.
- PL/SQL-heavy applications: desktop front ends for business logic that lives in packages, wrapped with the Oracle Package Wizard.
- Retiring the BDE: moving an old BDE application to a current Oracle release with the Migration Wizard.
Who It's For
ODAC is for Delphi and C++Builder developers working with Oracle, especially on products installed at customer sites, where avoiding the Oracle Client pays off, and on applications that use Oracle-specific features. If your application must also run on SQL Server, PostgreSQL or MySQL, look at UniDAC instead (see Comparisons).
Usage Guide
- Create a Devart account and download. On the ODAC download page, pick the installer for your IDE (there's one per IDE version, from Delphi 6 to RAD Studio 13 Florence) and sign in to start the 60-day trial.
- Install. Close the IDE, run the installer and follow the wizard. Remove an older ODAC version first, and keep all your Devart DAC products at versions with the same release date if you use more than one.
- Add a session. Start a VCL or FireMonkey application and drop a TOraSession from the ODAC palette page on the form.
- Connect. Set Server, Username and Password (for Direct mode, set Options.Direct to True and use host:port:sid or a service name), then set Connected to True or call Connect.
- Query. Add a TOraQuery and a TOraDataSource, link a DBGrid, enter your SELECT and open the query.
Tips
- Install dbMonitor with ODAC. Seeing the exact SQL and parameter values each component sends is the fastest way to find a slow or wrong query.
- Use SmartFetch for large lookups: users can browse a huge table without ODAC loading all of it.
- If you also own UniDAC, ODAC includes the Oracle provider for UniDAC Express, so the two work together.
What Users Say
ODAC has been on the market for over two decades, and most of what users write is about stability over many years. The quotes below are from Devart's testimonials page, followed by a summary of user reviews on Capterra.
From Devart's testimonials page
"We have developed a client server application using Oracle 11.g in a biggest Hospital in Greece about 400 users (Delphi5 and ODAC 6.9) this is working fantastic..."
Evangelos Bekyros, Executive Manager of Pefki Software Company (about a much older ODAC version)
"I'am using the Devart (Core lab's) products (Mydac, Odac, Unidac) since the year 2004. And I always be very satisfied with the Devart's products and technical support."
Stéphane Deriaz, Managing director, Bluelib Sàrl, Switzerland
"SDAC component suite gave us opportunity to provide our customers with trouble-free and efficient database access in our software solutions. Since we began using Devart DAC components, our development time shortened drastically, since we can focus on the application instead of data access. Some clever solutions, like macro parameters, gave us widened programming options which help us satisfy our customers more efficiently. Devart's devotion to keep up with database server developers warrants us security and helps us stay in business. We do actually use SDAC, MyDAC, IBDAC and ODAC, in some of our software solutions we use even more than two of them at the same time. I personally think that Devart's DAC libraries for Delphi were our best buy, and helped us a lot in database applications development."
Mr. Davor Tavcar, head of Development department, Storitve Tavcar in partnerji d.n.o.
What Capterra reviewers say
ODAC averages about 4.8 out of 5 on Capterra, from a small number of reviews (we read them through search summaries, as Capterra blocks direct access). Reviewers praise its stability (one runs five applications around the clock without problems, another has used it for over twenty years), the ability to skip the Oracle Client, and the documentation and fast support.
The criticisms are specific. ODAC isn't compatible with FireDAC, so moving an existing FireDAC application over takes real rework. One reviewer found no Direct-mode way to connect to Oracle Autonomous Database over its TLS setup. Others mention a steep learning curve for beginners, too few C++Builder examples in the help, and wanting a more automated install alongside FastReport.
The recurring themes
What people like: years of trouble-free running, Direct mode, broad Oracle coverage and responsive support. What gives them pause: it's a different API from FireDAC, the learning curve for newcomers, and C++Builder examples are thin.
Comparisons
ODAC vs. UniDAC
Devart's Universal Data Access Components (UniDAC) cover Oracle plus SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, InterBase/Firebird and more with one set of components, for $599.95 (Professional). If you only use Oracle, ODAC Professional is $250 cheaper and has Oracle components UniDAC doesn't, such as TOraQueue, TOraPackage, TOraChangeNotification and TOraTrace. If your application must also support another database, UniDAC costs less than ODAC plus a second single-database library ($699.90).
ODAC vs. FireDAC
FireDAC ships with RAD Studio and connects to Oracle through the Oracle Client. ODAC's advantages are Direct mode (no client), deeper Oracle-specific components and support back to Delphi 6. FireDAC's advantage is that you already own it with RAD Studio Enterprise or Architect. The two APIs differ, so switching an existing application either way is a porting job.
Editions and Pricing
| Edition | Price (1 developer) | Platforms | What it adds |
|---|
| Standard | $229.95 | Windows | Oracle connectivity through the Oracle Client, base components, scripts, nested tables, TSmartQuery, SQL monitoring and the Migration Wizard |
| Professional | $349.95 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Direct mode (no Oracle Client), mobile and desktop cross-platform targets, TOraLoader, transactions, packages, alerts, Advanced Queuing, change notification, tracing, metadata, encryption, DataSet Manager and the Oracle Package Wizard |
| Professional with Source Code | about $600 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Source code of the component classes, and the only edition that supports Lazarus and Free Pascal |
Every license covers one developer and includes a year of updates and premium support. Oracle Data Access Components is also sold for teams and whole sites, and with multi-year subscriptions at a discount. When the subscription ends, you keep a perpetual license for the version you have. Renewing Professional costs $179.95 a year. You can distribute applications you build with ODAC royalty-free.
FAQs
Does ODAC need the Oracle Client?
No, not in ODAC Professional. Its Direct mode connects to Oracle over TCP/IP with no client installed. ODAC Standard needs an Oracle Client (8i to 23c, including Instant Client) on every PC.
Which Oracle versions does ODAC support?
ODAC 15.1 supports Oracle 26ai, 23c, 21c, 19c, 18c, 12c, 11g, 10g, 9i and 8i, including Oracle Express and Oracle Cloud.
Do my customers need a ODAC license to run my application?
No. A Oracle Data Access Components license covers you as the developer, and applications you build with ODAC can be distributed royalty-free. You can't redistribute ODAC itself, apart from the original trial package.
What happens when my year of ODAC updates runs out?
You keep using the version you have under a perpetual license. Renewing ODAC Professional costs $179.95 a year and brings new versions, premium support and nightly builds with fixes.
Does ODAC work with Delphi Community Edition?
Yes. Oracle Data Access Components supports every Delphi and C++Builder edition, including the free Community Edition, from Delphi 6 up to RAD Studio 13 Florence.
Can I use ODAC in Lazarus?
Yes, but only with the ODAC trial or the Professional with Source Code edition (about $600). The current ODAC release supports Lazarus 4.8 with Free Pascal 3.2.2 on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Can I use the ODAC trial to build a production application?
No. The ODAC trial runs for 60 days and is for evaluation only. Applications built with it may not be used in production or commercially, so buy a license before you ship.
System Requirements
- IDE: Delphi 6 (Update Pack 2) or C++Builder 6 (Update Pack 4) up to RAD Studio 13 Florence (Release 2), in any edition including Community, Starter, Professional, Enterprise and Architect. Lazarus 4.8 with Free Pascal 3.2.2 in the Professional with Source Code edition
- Target platforms: Windows 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM64EC, macOS 64-bit and Apple Silicon, Linux 64-bit (and 32-bit in Lazarus), iOS 64-bit, Android 32-bit and 64-bit. Standard edition: Windows only
- Database: Oracle 8i to 26ai, including Express and Oracle Cloud. Without Direct mode, an x86 or x64 Oracle Client 8i to 23c, including Instant Client
- Other Devart DACs: ODAC installs alongside UniDAC, ODAC, SDAC, MyDAC and PgDAC in the same IDE when they share the same common engine version, which versions released on the same date always do
Conclusion
ODAC is a mature, deep Oracle library, and the Professional edition is the one to buy: Direct mode alone saves you from managing Oracle Clients across every install, and its Advanced Queuing, package and change-notification components cover what FireDAC and generic layers don't. Standard only makes sense for Windows apps where an Oracle Client is already in place. If you might add a second database later, compare it with UniDAC first. The 60-day trial is long enough to run it against your own schema.
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