Guides
General Concepts
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|   |   |
|:--|:--------|
| **Handle name** |[Environment](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/reference/develop-app/environment-handles?view=sql-server-ver16) |
| **Type name** | `SQL_HANDLE_ENV` |
|   |   |
|:--|:--------|
| **Description** |Manages the environment settings for ODBC operations, and provides a global context in which to access data. |
| **Use case** | Initializing ODBC, managing driver behavior, resource allocation |
| **Additional information** | Must be [allocated](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/odbc/reference/develop-app/allocating-the-environment-handle?view=sql-server-ver16) once per application upon starting, and freed at the end. |