The Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is a standardized programming interface that allows applications to interact with various database management systems (DBMSs) in a uniform way. Initially developed by Microsoft in the 1990s, ODBC has become an industry standard for connecting to relational databases, providing a middleware layer between the application and the database. With ODBC, a developer can write code that works across multiple types of databases—such as MySQL, Oracle, or Microsoft SQL Server—without having to customize the application for each one. This creates a level of abstraction that enables more flexible and scalable database operations. ODBC drivers translate the application's data queries into commands that the DBMS understands, facilitating a seamless interaction between different software components.