ArcGIS Data Types & Terminology

[SachinChand]

What is the difference between a "Feature Class" and an "SDE Feature Class"? Or a "Table" and an "SDE Table" that are hosted on the same enterprise gdb with the same direct connection.  The attached screenshot below, shows my direct connection to an Oracle GDB.  In the "Type" column on the right, you can see "Feature Class" and "SDE Feature Class".  What is the difference between these two?

Also, in the attached ArcCatalog screenshot below are two line feature classes. Their icons are different. Why are different icons signifying?

[Anonymous User · Accepted solution]

In the second screenshot, the second feature clase: GIS_PUBLIC.STREETLINE is a view. The icon is the view one.

And also all the "Feature Class"  layers in your first screenshot, with the same icon.

Jesús de Diego

[SachinChand]

Jesus, thank you for the response.  So the "Feature Class" in the first screenshot are also views?

[Anonymous User]

Yes, I suppose...

Jesús de Diego

[AsrujitSengupta]

In very simple terms:

Table: Tables created from database end

SDE Table: Table created using ArcGIS Desktop

Feature Class: These are spatial views. Their icon will change to that of a feature class, every time you use it in ArcGIS Desktop. The next time you reopen ArcCatalog, it'll show up again as Views, unless used again.