---
name: "odbc.ini"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "unixodbc"
version: "2.3.14-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/odbc.ini"
---

# odbc.ini(5)

unixODBC data source configuration files

## NAME

/etc/odbc.ini, $HOME/.odbc.ini - unixODBC data source configuration files

## DESCRIPTION

**/etc/odbc.ini** is a system-wide configuration file for ODBC Data Source Names (DSNs).

**$HOME/.odbc.ini** is a user-specific configuration file for ODBC Data Source Names (DSNs).

Paths to both configuration files can be overridden by *unixODBC* build options. Call **odbcinst -j** to determine the default configuration file paths on your system.

## NOTES

### Templates

Many ODBC drivers come with .ini file templates. Using **odbcinst** to install these templates is recommended.

### FILE FORMAT

**odbc.ini** follows the pesudo-standard *ini file* syntax convention of one or more **\[section headings\]**, each followed by zero or more **key =** **value** attributes.

- **\[ODBC Data Sources\]** section

  This mandatory section lists each data source name (*DSN*) as a key. The associated values serve as comments. Each entry must be matched by an ini file **\[section\]** describing the data source.

- Data Source Name **\[section\]**

  Each data source is identified by a **\[section header\]**, which is the DSN name used by applications. Each DSN definition section may contain values for the keys:

  - • Driver (**REQUIRED**)

    The name of the ODBC driver to use for the DSN. The name must exactly match the **\[section name\]** of the driver definition stored in **odbcinst.ini** (and listed by **odbcinst -q -d**).

  - • Description

    Human-readable data source description.

  - • Database

    Database name or identifier. The meaning is driver-specific and can specify a file path, Unix socket path, an identifier relative to a server name, etc.

  - • Servername

    Server name. The meaning is driver-specific but generally specifies a DNS name, IP network address or driver-specific discovery identifier.

  For a full list of supported parameters, refer to the HTML-formatted "Administrator Manual" shipped with *unixODBC*, the documentation for your ODBC driver and any data-source templates supplied by your driver.

## EXAMPLES

An example **odbc.ini** configuration file is shown in the "Administrator Manual" shipped with *unixODBC*.

## SEE ALSO

[**unixODBC**(7)](/unixODBC/7.md), [**odbcinst**(1)](/odbcinst/1.md), [**isql**(1)](/isql/1.md), [**iusql**(1)](/iusql/1.md), [**odbcinst.ini**(5)](/odbcinst.ini/5.md)

"The *unixODBC* **Administrator Manual (HTML)**"

## AUTHORS

The authors of unixODBC are Peter Harvey \<*pharvey@codebydesign.com*\> and Nick Gorham \<*nick@lurcher.org*\>.

For a full list of contributors, refer to the *AUTHORS* file.

## COPYRIGHT

unixODBC is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License. For details about the license, see the *COPYING* file.