Connecting Java Applications to MySQL

Connecting a Java application to a MySQL database is typically done using JDBC (Java Database Connectivity). JDBC provides a standard API for Java programs to interact with relational databases such as MySQL.

Prerequisites

Java Development Kit (JDK) installed

MySQL Server installed and running

MySQL JDBC Driver (Connector/J)

Download from MySQL or add via a build tool (Maven/Gradle)

Maven Dependency

<groupId>com.mysql</groupId>

<artifactId>mysql-connector-j</artifactId>

</dependency>

Steps to Connect Java to MySQL

1. Load the JDBC Driver

(For modern JDBC versions, this step is optional)

Class.forName("com.mysql.cj.jdbc.Driver");

2. Create Database URL

String url = "jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/mydatabase?useSSL=false&serverTimezone=UTC";

localhost – MySQL server location

3306 – Default MySQL port

mydatabase – Database name

3. Establish Connection

import java.sql.Connection;

import java.sql.DriverManager;

String username = "root";

String password = "password";

Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(url, username, password);

System.out.println("Connected to MySQL successfully!");

4. Execute SQL Queries

Using Statement

import java.sql.Statement;

import java.sql.ResultSet;

Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();

ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM users");

while (rs.next()) {

System.out.println(rs.getInt("id") + " " + rs.getString("name"));

}

Using PreparedStatement (Recommended)

import java.sql.PreparedStatement;

String sql = "INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (?, ?)";

PreparedStatement pstmt = conn.prepareStatement(sql);

pstmt.setString(1, "John");

pstmt.setString(2, "john@example.com");

pstmt.executeUpdate();

✔ Prevents SQL Injection

✔ Improves performance

5. Close Resources

rs.close();

stmt.close();

conn.close();

Or use try-with-resources (recommended):

try (Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(url, username, password);

PreparedStatement pstmt = conn.prepareStatement(sql)) {

// execute query

}

Complete Example

import java.sql.*;

public class MySQLConnection {

public static void main(String[] args) {

String url = "jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/mydatabase";

String user = "root";

String pass = "password";

try (Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(url, user, pass)) {

System.out.println("Connected successfully");

String query = "SELECT * FROM users";

Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();

ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(query);

while (rs.next()) {

System.out.println(rs.getInt("id") + " " + rs.getString("name"));

}

} catch (SQLException e) {

e.printStackTrace();

}

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue Solution

Driver not found Add MySQL Connector/J

Access denied Check username/password

Time zone error Add serverTimezone=UTC

SSL error Use useSSL=false

Best Practices

Use PreparedStatement instead of Statement

Close connections properly

Use connection pooling (HikariCP, Apache DBCP) for large applications

Store DB credentials securely (not hardcoded)

Conclusion

Connecting Java applications to MySQL using JDBC is straightforward and powerful. With proper driver configuration, secure coding practices, and resource management, Java–MySQL integration can support robust and scalable applications.

Learn Full Stack JAVA Course in Hyderabad

Introduction to Relational Databases

🗃️ Database & SQL in java

Testing REST APIs with Postman

Visit Our Quality Thought Institute in Hyderabad

Get Directions

December 13, 2025