About Image-Based Oracle Database Client Installation

Starting with Oracle Database 19c, installation and configuration of Oracle Database Client software is simplified with image-based installation.

To install Oracle Database Client, create the new Oracle home, extract the image file into the newly-created Oracle home, and run the setup wizard to register the Oracle Database product.

You must extract the image software (client_home.zip) into the directory where you want your Oracle Database Client home to be located, and then run the Setup Wizard to start the Oracle Database Client installation and configuration. Oracle recommends that the Oracle home directory path you create is in compliance with the Oracle Optimal Flexible Architecture recommendations.

As with Oracle Database and Oracle Grid Infrastructure image file installations, Oracle Database Client image installations simplify Oracle Database Client installations and ensure best practice deployments. Oracle Database Client installation binaries continue to be available in the traditional format as non-image zip files.

Using image-based installation, you can install Oracle Database Client 64-bit configurations of the Administrator installation type.

32-bit Oracle Database clients are desupported in Oracle Database 23ai.

Oracle has discontinued developing 32-bit Oracle Database clients. Oracle recommends that you use 64-bit Oracle Database clients. If you are using 32-bit applications, then you can continue to use older 32-bit Oracle Database clients, subject to “Client / Server Interoperability Support Matrix for Different Oracle Versions (Doc ID 207303.1)," and the release support lifecycle (My Oracle Support 742060.1).