Lesson 1

The course project will be part of a larger case study in which you will be role-playing as a member of a solution development team.
This module will prepare you for the course project and business case study, enabling you to:

1. Describe the course project purpose and how it will assist you in learning JDBC
2. Describe the case study and role you will play as a JDBC programmer
3. Define the goal of the customer

When developing a Java project using JDBC 4.3, you should use a Java SE version that supports JDBC 4.3 natively. JDBC 4.3 is part of the Java SE 9 (and later) specifications. Therefore, the minimum required JDK for developing with JDBC 4.3 is JDK 9. However, you should select a JDK based on your specific project needs and environment. Here are the considerations:
Recommended JDK Versions

1. Long-Term Support (LTS) Versions
   • JDK 11: The first LTS version that includes JDBC 4.3 support. Recommended if you want stability and long-term support.
   • JDK 17: The next LTS version after JDK 11. Recommended for projects requiring newer features and long-term support.
   • JDK 21: The latest LTS version (as of 2024). Recommended if you need the most up-to-date features, improvements, and support.
2. Non-LTS Versions
   • Any non-LTS version starting from JDK 9 onward (e.g., JDK 13, 15) also supports JDBC 4.3 but may lack long-term support and stability.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a JDK

1. Project Requirements
   • Ensure the JDK version matches your application's compatibility requirements.
   • If using third-party libraries, verify they support the chosen JDK version.
2. Stability and Maintenance
   • For production applications, use an LTS version (JDK 11, 17, or 21).
   • Non-LTS versions are ideal for experimenting or short-lived projects.
3. Features and APIs
   • Later JDK versions introduce new features and optimizations (e.g., improved garbage collection, better performance, and modern APIs).
   • If your project benefits from these, consider JDK 17 or 21.
4. Support and Updates
   • Use a version actively supported by the community or a vendor (e.g., Oracle, OpenJDK, or a vendor-specific distribution like Red Hat or Amazon Corretto).

JDBC 4.3 in Specific JDK Versions

• JDK 9+: JDBC 4.3 support added.
• JDK 11: JDBC 4.3 + LTS stability.
• JDK 17: Enhanced JDBC and better integration with modern Java features.
• JDK 21: Latest improvements and long-term support.

Suggested Action

• If you want stability and long-term support, use JDK 17 or JDK 21.
• For compatibility testing or using a legacy system, you can use JDK 11.
• Use OpenJDK or a vendor's distribution like Oracle JDK, Red Hat OpenJDK, or Amazon Corretto for your environment.

The Java SE Development Kit (JDK) version 8 corresponds to Java SE 8. The JDK is a software development kit that provides the necessary tools and technologies for developing Java applications. It includes the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which is required to run Java programs, as well as a set of development tools such as the Java compiler and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Java SE 8 was released in March 2014 and introduced several new features, including the JavaFX graphics framework, the Nashorn JavaScript engine, and the Date and Time API.

Question: How does the JDBC API correspond to the J2EE Architecture?
The JDBC API (Java Database Connectivity) is a standard Java API for accessing relational databases from Java applications. The J2EE (Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition) architecture, on the other hand, is a platform-independent, Java-centric environment for developing, deploying, and managing enterprise applications. In the context of the J2EE architecture, the JDBC API plays a critical role in providing database connectivity to enterprise applications. Specifically, the JDBC API is used in the following J2EE components:

1. Java Servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSPs): Java web applications built using the Servlet and JSP APIs can use JDBC to access databases and provide dynamic content to web clients.
2. Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs): EJBs are server-side components that provide business logic and transaction management for J2EE applications. EJBs can use JDBC to interact with databases and perform database operations as part of their business logic.
3. Java Persistence API (JPA): JPA is a high-level API for interacting with databases using object-relational mapping (ORM) techniques. JPA implementations typically use JDBC under the hood to interact with databases.

In summary, the JDBC API is a key component in the J2EE architecture, providing a standard way for Java applications to access databases and integrate with other J2EE components.

This course uses Java 8 SE. If you have not downloaded it, please do so now. You can obtain a copy of the most current version from Oracle at the following URL.
Download Oracle from Java.
If you wish to learn about some of the more advanced features of JDBC that are convered in this course, you should have a copy of the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition 8 SDK from the following URL.
Jave EE SDK When you have successfully installed the SDK, continue on to the next lesson to find out more about the course project and purpose.