The CData drivers provide programmatic access to data stored in an Excel file, allowing developers to work with the data as if it were a relational database. The drivers offer flexibility and familiarity through their use of ADO.NET interfaces and JDBC conventions, enabling developers to select data from specific ranges or named ranges, and using SQL queries to retrieve data. With the CData drivers, developers can access Excel data in various development environments, including Windows, Xamarin, Java, and Mac/Unix/Linux, without requiring Microsoft Excel to be installed. The drivers also provide a free trial for download and use.