I am starting with Firebird and have found components to access a database by Devart. They offer native components (IBDAC) or DBExpress drivers. (I am using Delphi XE2 Pro which doesn't include Firebird drivers)
I guess native components are a bit faster, but that's not too important for me.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of each approach and why should I choose one over the other?
IBdac
DBexpress
You can check Devart FAQ.