---
title: "Getting Data | Microsoft Docs"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "01/19/2017"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "ADO, getting data"
ms.assetid: 3931e7ec-f66b-4d5d-aad3-c4bf12e8b154
author: MightyPen
ms.author: genemi
---
# Getting Data
[ADO Fundamentals](../../../ado/guide/data/ado-fundamentals.md), and the [HelloData](../../../ado/guide/data/hellodata-a-simple-ado-application.md) example in particular, introduced the four primary operations involved in creating an ADO application: getting data, examining data, editing data, and updating data. This section discusses getting data in more detail.  
  
 On a basic level, several ADO objects contribute to the operations of getting data. First you must connect to a data source using an ADO **Connection** object. Then you pass instructions to the data source using an ADO **Command** object. Finally, you most often receive data in an ADO **Recordset** object.  
  
 This section contains the following topics.  
  
-   [Connecting to Data Sources](../../../ado/guide/data/connecting-to-data-sources.md)  
  
-   [Preparing and Executing Commands](../../../ado/guide/data/preparing-and-executing-commands.md)  
  
-   [Receiving Results](../../../ado/guide/data/receiving-results.md)