Combining Java with SQL?

Question

This isn't a code question for once, but it definitely has me confused.

Basically, my lecturer has told me that we have a project due next semester that involves us to use Java and SQL intertwined with each other.

I had no idea the combining of languages was even possible!

So my mind's really blown.

I've been searching around looking for examples of such code but no luck. So I thought I'd ask you guys.

I think the most logical thing to do since I have no experience with combining would be too create tables in SQL due too its use in databases and call them through Java.

Can anyone explain to me how this is possible or just the jist of how languages combine.

Answer 1

What you will probably be doing is using JDBC to allow Java to connect to SQL databases. There are also persistence layers, such as Hibernate, that you can use to store and retrieve data in a database using Java.

I think the JDBC tutorials should be enough to get you started. Just don't get in too far over your head too early. Take your time and ask questions as they come up.

Answer 2

• Connect to a database
• Do something interesting with it

You could start from here: http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/jdbc/index.html
Follows a brief example took from the link, so you can get a general grasp of what this is about:

//connect to the database
Connection con = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:myDriver:wombat","myLogin","myPassword");  
Statement stmt = con.createStatement();
//here is the query you will execute
ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT a, b, c FROM Table1");
while (rs.next()) {
    //rs contains the result of the query
    //with getters you can obtain column values
    int x = rs.getInt("a");
    String s = rs.getString("b");
    float f = rs.getFloat("c");
}

As others pointed out this could get far from this, adding ORM, but I think knowing what JDBC is is a good start.