When a Delphi application uses the Borland Database Engine (BDE) to connect to a database, that connection is encapsulated by a TDatabase component. A database component represents the connection to a single database in the context of a BDE session. 

TDatabase performs many of the same tasks as and shares many common properties, methods, and events with other database connection components. These commonalities are described in Connecting to databases. 

In addition to the common properties, methods, and events, TDatabase introduces many BDE-specific features. These features are described in the following topics:

• Associating a Database Component with a Session
• Understanding Database and Session Component Interactions
• Identifying the Database
• Opening a Connection Using TDatabase
• Using Database Components in Data Modules
• Applying Cached Updates Using a Database.