What is the difference between Datareader and dataset?

Answer 1

The Recordset was not XML-based and could not be serialized to XML easily or flexibly.

Finally, a Recordset was not independent of a data store because it tracked a Connection object

and through its methods could send queries to the data source to populate, update,

and refresh its data.

To that end, the Recordset contained functionality found in the ADO.NET DataSet,

data reader, and data adapter objects.

Similar to the DataSet, a Recordset could be disconnected from its data store

and therefore act as an in-memory cache of data.

Of course, it could also be used in a connected model depending on the cursor options that were set.

Although the Recordset object stored multiple versions of each column for each of its rows,

it was not by nature able to represent multiple tables without the use of the Data Shape Provider.

Answer 2

DataReader

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DataReader provides forward-only, read-only access to result set.

Performance is better than DataSet

It will require you to open the connection through out and so it is not suitable for

interacting between different tiers.

You can't go backwards in DataReader

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DataSet

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DataSet is disconnected, in-memory representation of relational database

Performance is not as good as DataReader because of the overhead.

It is well suited to communicate remotely as it is disconnected and changes

can be updated whenever it is required.

You can access any data back and forth in DataSet

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