What is the difference betwnn sdf and mdf

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tony Johansson
  • Start date Start date
T

Tony Johansson

If I right click on the project and select add new iteem.
In this Add New Item dialog there are several templates.
Two of these are called "Local database" which create a sdf file database
and if I select "Service-based Database"
I create a mdf file.

So the difference must be more then just the name sdf or mdf ?

//Tony
 
If I right click on the project and select add new iteem.
In this Add New Item dialog there are several templates.
Two of these are called "Local database" which create a sdf file database
and if I select "Service-based Database"
I create a mdf file.

So the difference must be more then just the name sdf or mdf ?
Click to expand...

MDF = SQLServer

SDF = SQLServerCE

And contrary to the almost identical names, then it is
two completely different products.

A database server and an embedded database.

Arne
 
Arne Vajhøj said:
MDF = SQLServer

SDF = SQLServerCE

And contrary to the almost identical names, then it is
two completely different products.

A database server and an embedded database.

Arne
Click to expand...

I assume that the amount of feature and functionallity is limited when I use
the sdf database compared to the mdf database file.

//Tony
 
I assume that the amount of feature and functionallity is limited when I use
the sdf database compared to the mdf database file.
Click to expand...

Actually I think that the SQL dialect on SQLServerCE is fine.

The difference is that SQLServer is a database server intended to serve
1-10000 users (client apps, web requests or whatever) while SQLServerCE
is an embedded database that is superb for serving 1 users but can serve
a small number of users fine.

I would use SQLServer for web app and for a server app, but SQLServerCE
for a desktop app (storing data locally).

Arne
 
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