CommandText

CommandText is a property found in database access objects, particularly within the .NET Framework's ADO.NET architecture. It represents the SQL statement or stored procedure name that will be executed against a data source. When working with database operations, developers assign a string containing the SQL query or the name of a stored procedure to the CommandText property of a command object, such as SqlCommand or OleDbCommand.

The value assigned to CommandText can vary significantly. It can be a simple SELECT statement to retrieve data, an INSERT statement to add new records, an UPDATE statement to modify existing data, or a DELETE statement to remove data. Alternatively, it can be the name of a stored procedure, which is a pre-compiled set of SQL statements stored on the database server. When a stored procedure name is used, the command object will execute that procedure.

Understanding and correctly setting the CommandText property is crucial for interacting with databases. Errors in the SQL syntax or an incorrect stored procedure name will result in execution errors. Developers often use parameterized queries, where placeholders in the CommandText are replaced by actual values at runtime, to prevent SQL injection vulnerabilities and improve performance. The CommandText property is a fundamental component for any application that needs to communicate with a relational database.