---
title: "What is the difference between an ADO.NET Dataset and an ADO Recordset?"  
description: "What is the difference between an ADO.NET Dataset and an ADO Recordset?"  
author: "Sumit Kesarwani"  
published: 2014-01-27  
updated: 2020-09-24  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1884/what-is-the-difference-between-an-ado-dot-net-dataset-and-an-ado-recordset  
category: "c#"  
tags: ["c#"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# What is the difference between an ADO.NET Dataset and an ADO Recordset?

**Dataset** can fetch source data from many tables at a time, for Recordset you can achieve the same only using the SQL joins.

A DataSet can represent an entire relational database in memory, complete with tables, relations, and views, A Recordset can not.

A DataSet is designed to work without any continues connection to the original data source; Recordset maintains continues connection with the original data source.

DataSets have no current record pointer, you can use For Each loops to move through the data. Recordsets have pointers to move through them.

## Answers

### Answer by Sumit Kesarwani

**Dataset** can fetch source data from many tables at a time, for Recordset you can achieve the same only using the SQL joins.

A DataSet can represent an entire relational database in memory, complete with tables, relations, and views, A Recordset can not.

A DataSet is designed to work without any continues connection to the original data source; Recordset maintains continues connection with the original data source.

DataSets have no current record pointer, you can use For Each loops to move through the data. Recordsets have pointers to move through them.


---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1884/what-is-the-difference-between-an-ado-dot-net-dataset-and-an-ado-recordset

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