Using the MySQL connector

Before testing the MySQL database connection from a Java program, one would need to add the MySQL JDBC connector library to the classpath. In this section, you will learn how to configure/add the MySQL JDBC connector library to the classpath while working with the Eclipse IDE or command console.

The MySQL connector (Connector/J) comes in a ZIP file, (*.tar.gz). The MySQL connector is a concrete implementation of the JDBC API. Once extracted, one can see a JAR file with a name such as mysql-connector-java-xxx.jar. The following are the different ways in which this JAR file is dealt with while working with or without IDEs such as Eclipse:

• While working with the Eclipse IDE, one can add the JAR file to the class path by adding it as a library to the Build Path in the project's properties.
• While working with the command console, one needs to specify the path to the JAR file in the -cp or -classpath argument when executing the Java application. The following is the sample command representing the preceding: 

        java -cp .;/path/to/mysql-connector-java-xxx.jar   
        com.healthapp.JavaClassName

Note the "." in the classpath (-cp) option. This is there to add the current directory to the classpath as well such that  com.healthapp.JavaClassName can be located.