You can access geodatabases using various ArcGIS client software. These include the following:
- ArcMap (including ArcCatalog, ArcGlobe, and ArcScene)
- ArcGIS Server services (support connecting to file, workgroup, and enterprise geodatabases)
Compatible releases
You do not have to keep your geodatabase and ArcGIS clients at the same release, but it is recommended that you do so. Geodatabases and client software are designed to work together, and if you let one get too many releases away from the other, you risk encountering problems or unexpected behavior.
The following table indicates which version of ArcGIS client applications can connect to which versions of the geodatabase:
| Client release | Personal geodatabase release | File geodatabase release | Enterprise*, workgroup, or desktop geodatabase using a direct connection | Enterprise geodatabase using an ArcSDE service connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
10.2.x | 9.2, 9.3.x, 10.x | 9.2, 9.3.x, 10.x | 9.2, 9.3.x, 10, 10.1, 10.2.x, 10.3.x, 10.4.x | 9.3.x, 10, 10.1, 10.2.x |
10.3.x | 9.3.x, 10.x | 9.3.x, 10.x | 10, 10.1, 10.2.x, 10.3.x, 10.4.x You can connect to 9.3 and 9.3.1 geodatabases to upgrade them. | 10, 10.1, 10.2.x |
10.4.x | 10.x | 10.x | 10.1, 10.2.x 10.3.x, 10.4.x, 10.5.x | 10.1, 10.2.x |
10.5.x | 10.x | 10.x | 10.1, 10.2.x, 10.3.x, 10.4.x, 10.5.x, 10.6.x | 10.1, 10.2.x |
10.6 | 10.x | 10.x | 10.2.x, 10.3.x, 10.4.x, 10.5.x, 10.6.x | 10.2.x |
10.6.1 | 10.x | 10.x | 10.2.x, 10.3.x, 10.4.x, 10.5.x, 10.6.x | NA |
*Specific versions supported for enterprise geodatabases may vary depending on the database you use to store the geodatabase. The database version must be supported for both the client and geodatabase version. For more information on supported database versions and client connections made to enterprise geodatabases, see the topics appropriate to your database management system:
- IBM Db2 database requirements for ArcGIS
- Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in Db2
- IBM Informix database requirements for ArcGIS
- Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in Informix
- Microsoft SQL Server database requirements for ArcGIS
- Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in SQL Server
- Oracle database requirements for ArcGIS
- Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in Oracle
- PostgreSQL database requirements for ArcGIS
- Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in PostgreSQL
Functionality available when using mixed client and geodatabase releases
You do not need to upgrade the geodatabase to the current release to take advantage of the following functionality:
- Python scripting with annotation and dimension feature classes
- Editor tracking on tables and feature classes
- Network datasets that include functionality for live traffic data, soft restrictions, preferred truck routes, and Python script evaluators
- Mosaic datasets that include improved generation of seamlines and footprints, support for more raster types, additional properties, and tools to analyze the mosaic dataset for known errors or limitations
While ArcGIS 10.2.x to 10.6.x clients can open, query, edit, and save data in newer release geodatabases, they cannot open datasets that participate in newer functionality and will encounter the following error message when trying to open one of these datasets:
The version of the Geodatabase client is incompatible with the dataset and cannot open it.
Similarly, you can apply field conflict filters to versioned tables and feature classes using ArcGIS 10.2.1 or later release clients. However, you will receive the aforementioned error if you try to open these versioned tables and feature classes using an ArcGIS 10.2 or earlier client.
You cannot open functionality specific to ArcGIS Pro inside ArcMap. For example, you cannot access geodatabases in SAP HANA or utility networks from ArcMap.
For information on using mixed releases with replication, see Replication and geodatabase releases.
When do you need to upgrade a geodatabase?
You should upgrade if either of the following is true:
- The client release you are using cannot connect to the geodatabase release you want to use.
- You want to take advantage of functionality available in a newer release of the geodatabase.
For more information on geodatabase upgrades, see the upgrade topics appropriate to the type of geodatabase you are using:
File or personal geodatabases | Upgrade file and personal geodatabases |
Desktop or workgroup geodatabases | Upgrade geodatabases on database servers |
Geodatabases in Db2 on Linux or Windows | Upgrade a geodatabase in Db2 |
Geodatabases in Db2 on the z operating system | Upgrade a geodatabase for Db2 on z/OS |
Geodatabases in Informix | Upgrade a geodatabase in Informix |
Geodatabases in Oracle | Upgrade a geodatabase in Oracle |
Geodatabases in PostgreSQL | Upgrade a geodatabase in PostgreSQL |
Enterprise geodatabases in SQL Server | Upgrade a geodatabase in SQL Server |