What is a JDBC Driver?
The JDBC API is the industry standard for database-independent connectivity between the Java programming language and a wide range of databases. The JDBC API provides a call-level API for SQL-based database access. JDBC technology allows you to use the Java programming language to exploit “Write Once, Run Anywhere” capabilities for applications that require access to enterprise data. Installing a JDBC Driver: Select File | JDBC Drivers and look at your drivers list. Your default driver will be bolded. This is the driver the program uses to connect to your server. If no driver is installed, press the Download Recommended Driver button. This will open a new browser window to the free MySQL connectorJ download page. This Driver can be downloaded to your computer. It can be installed by pressing the Add button and adding the main driver file: mysql-connector-java-XXX.jar. Make sure to consult the drivers documentation for your main class and connection URL.
Daniel: A JDBC driver is what allows a permanent storage solution to support operations through the JDBC API. Each permanent storage solution generally comes accompanied by a JDBC driver. Though it’s possible to write a JDBC driver from scratch, creating a JDBC driver requires a deep understanding of the underlying permanent storage solution, so you’re best served using a pre-built JDBC driver.
