.NET/C#: reading/writing Excel workbooks and worksheets
Posted by jpluimers on 2012/06/06
Basically there are many ways to read/write Excel workbooks and worksheets:
- Use the open source EPPlus .NET assembly (which is based on ExcelPackage)
- Use the open source ExcelLibrary which seems to be derived from PHP ExcelWriter
- Use OleDB to read/write Excel with either the JET (Office <= 2003) or ACE (Office +> 2007) drivers
- Use COM/OleAutomation/Interop/VSTO
The latter is used by many many people, and has two big drawbacks:
- it requires Excel to be installed
- it is painfully slow
The others can run server side as they do not require Excel to be installed. They are also much faster.
I’ve used OleDB, and it is sort of OK, but hard work.
EPPlus is much faster and versatile and seems to be the most active open source project.
–jeroen
The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff 
André Obelink said
I use EPPlus too at one of my customers, a major financial company in Holland. Works fine and blazing fast!
jpluimers said
Thanks!