A method for data communication between a programmable controller (2) and a data processing device (12) via a universal data interface (11b) of the data processing device (12) is described. In the method, at least one communication interface implemented by means of software drivers and selected in dependence on the availability is allocated to a programmable controller (2) connected to a hardware connection in a wire-connected manner or wirelessly. The method has the following steps: reading at least one identification of the programmable controller (2) out of at least one data memory of the programmable controller (2); selecting at least one further communication interface in dependence on the at least one identification read out; and allocating the at least one selected communication interface to the hardware connection in such a manner that the data communication takes place both via the at least one communication interface selected in dependence on the availability and via the at least one communication interface selected in dependence on the identification.