---
title: "Step 2: Initialize the Application | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "01/19/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "initializing applications [ODBC]"
  - "application process [ODBC], initializing applications"
ms.assetid: 23a7a230-ae2c-4a5e-9760-d2e17f92c389
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
---
# Step 2: Initialize the Application
The second step is to initialize the application, as shown in the following illustration. Exactly what is done here varies with the application.  
  
 ![Shows initializing an ODBC application](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/media/pr12.gif "pr12")  
  
 At this point, it is common to use **SQLGetInfo** to discover the capabilities of the driver. For more information, see [Considering Database Features to Use](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/considering-database-features-to-use.md).  
  
 All applications need to allocate a statement handle with **SQLAllocHandle**, and many applications set statement attributes, such as the cursor type, with **SQLSetStmtAttr**. For more information, see [Allocating a Statement Handle](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/allocating-a-statement-handle-odbc.md) and [Statement Attributes](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/statement-attributes.md).