# cx_Oracle version 8.1
cx_Oracle is a Python extension module that enables access to Oracle
Database. It conforms to the [Python database API 2.0
specification][1] with a considerable number of additions and a couple
of exclusions. See the
[homepage](https://oracle.github.io/python-cx_Oracle/index.html) for a
feature list.
cx_Oracle 8 has been tested with Python versions 3.6 through 3.9. You can use
cx_Oracle with Oracle 11.2, 12c, 18c, 19c and 21c client libraries. Oracle's
standard client-server version interoperability allows connection to both older
and newer databases. For example Oracle 19c client libraries can connect to
Oracle Database 11.2. Older versions of cx_Oracle may work with older
versions of Python.
## Installation
See [cx_Oracle Installation][15].
## Documentation
See the [cx_Oracle Documentation][2] and [Release Notes][14].
## Samples
See the [/samples][12] directory and the [tutorial][6]. You can also
look at the scripts in [cx_OracleTools][7] and the modules in
[cx_PyOracleLib][8].
## Help
Issues and questions can be raised with the cx_Oracle community on
[GitHub][9] or on the [mailing list][5].
## Tests
See [/test][11].
## Contributing
See [CONTRIBUTING](https://github.com/oracle/python-cx_Oracle/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md)
## License
cx_Oracle is licensed under a BSD license which you can find [here][3].
[1]: https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0249
[2]: http://cx-oracle.readthedocs.io
[3]: https://github.com/oracle/python-cx_Oracle/blob/master/LICENSE.txt
[5]: http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/cx-oracle-users
[6]: https://github.com/oracle/python-cx_Oracle/tree/master/samples/tutorial
[7]: http://cx-oracletools.sourceforge.net
[8]: http://cx-pyoraclelib.sourceforge.net
[9]: https://github.com/oracle/python-cx_Oracle/issues
[11]: https://github.com/oracle/python-cx_Oracle/tree/master/test
[12]: https://github.com/oracle/python-cx_Oracle/tree/master/samples
[14]: https://cx-oracle.readthedocs.io/en/latest/release_notes.html
[15]: https://cx-oracle.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user_guide/installation.html