In [[computing]], [[Microsoft]]'s '''ActiveX Data Objects''' ('''ADO''') iscomprises a set of [[Component Object Model]] (COM) [[object (computing)|object]]s for accessing data sources. A part of [[MDAC]] (Microsoft Data Access Components), it provides a [[middleware]] layer between [[programming language]]s and [[OLE DB]] (a means of accessing data stores, whether they be [[database]]s or otherwisenot, in a uniform manner). ADO allows a [[software developer|developer]] to write programs that access data without knowing how the database is implemented; developers must be aware of the database for connection only. No knowledge of [[SQL]] is required to access a database when using ADO, although one can use ADO to execute SQL commands directly.The(with the disadvantage of the latter is that it introducesintroducing a dependency upon the type of database used).
Microsoft introduced ADO isin positionedOctober 1996, positioning the software as a successor to Microsoft's earlier object layers for accessing data sources, including [[Remote Data Objects|RDO]] (Remote Data Objects) and [[Data Access Objects|DAO]] (Data Access Objects). ADO was introduced by [[Microsoft]] in October 1996.
