Use Firebird as standalone application database

Choices of database in doing a standalone application always limited to me. Some people might use MYSQL, MSSQL or even Oracle as database, but to me:

1. It is not logical to use a server based database for a standalone application
2. You will need to install the database in order to deploy the application, where some settings might not understandable to non technical personnel.

So all the while I am using MS Access as database for standalone application, but still you need to install Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) if the PC you deploy doesn’t have MS Access or Office installed.

But now I am using Firebird as database, which you don’t need to install the extra stuffs, just copy over the whole folder to finish the deployment (Literally standalone). Here are some guidelines to use Firebird in .Net:

1. Go to Firebird website and download 2 things: database embeded edition (which is in zip format) and .Net FirebirdClient library (in zip format as well).
2. Extract following files from the database zip file to your project folder (under bin\debug or bin\release):
   1. fbembed.dll
   2. firebird.conf
   3. firebird.msg
   4. icudt30.dll
   5. icuin30.dll
   6. icuuc30.dll
3. Extract FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient.dll to your project folder (under bin\debug or bin\release).
4. Add reference of FirebirdClient to your project, and you can start using it.
5. The methods to use FirebirdClient more or less is the same as other Data class, while the connection string is:
   servertype=1;user=<admin>;password=<password>;dialect=3;database=<database location>