Beginning Java Databases: JDBC, SQL, J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Kevin Mukhar (Author), Todd Lauinger (Author), John Carnell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Programmer to Programmer | Publication Date: August 2001

Java has evolved into a robust, high performance programming language that is well suited to a range of different environments, be it on a middle tier Application Server or a client browser. Regardless of the architecture of your application you are using, it will almost certainly need to make use of data that is stored in some form of database. Relational databases are the data store of choice in the vast majority of businesses, and have also evolved enormously over the recent years, into powerful and feature-rich data management systems.

This book aims to teach you how to use these two powerful technologies to build successful Java database applications. You will find out how relational databases work and how you can use them in your Java programs, through the JDBC interface. You will see how to apply your new skills in an enterprise environment and by the end will be building sophisticated web-enabled Java database applications that incorporate other technologies, such as XML.

This book covers:

Using the JDBC API to build database-driven Java applications
Introduction to new JDBC 3.0 features
SQL and relational database design
Object-relational mapping frameworks and techniques
Debugging your application and logging its activities
Applying Java and JDBC skills in a J2EE environment
Integrating XML into you Java database applications

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This book is ideal for the programmer who has a reasonable grasp of the fundamentals of the Java language, and is now looking to apply and improve these skills in building database-driven Java applications. If you are relatively new to Java, then the explanations in the text should allow you to grasp all of the fundamental issues discussed, especially if you are migrating from another language such as C or C++.

About the Author

Since becoming a professional software developer, Kevin Mukhar has programmed a client-server based training system in C and C++. He then worked on a large-scale data management system using an Oracle database to manage terabytes of binary data. The front-end was developed as a web application employing C++ and Java. This was followed by an all Java system for dynamically finding and displaying data from distributed data repositories. His latest job is developing Java intranet web applications using J2EE technologies. The web applications provide customer management for a company with millions of customers.

Todd Lauinger is a freelance instructor, mentor, conference speaker, and published author. He is currently employed as a Software Construction Fellow at Best Buy Co., Inc., working there to establish a common infrastructure for all Java-related software development activities in the enterprise. Todd has his Masters degree in Software Engineering, along with over 10 years of experience developing large, mission-critical software systems for engineering and business organizations.

John Carnell is currently working as a Senior Systems Architect for Workscape, a leading provider of HR and Employee Benefits self-service solutions. John's favorite topic of discussion, much to his wife's chagrin, is component based, N-Tier architectures. John has extensive experience with both the Microsoft, Oracle, and Java N-Tier solutions. John can be reached at [e-mail].

Product Details

• Paperback: 800 pages
• Publisher: Wrox Press; 1st edition (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861004370
• ISBN-13: 978-1861004376
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.3 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,782,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a GREAT book!, September 4, 2001

By 

Jason Fulghum (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beginning Java Databases: JDBC, SQL, J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML (Paperback)

This book is great!

I read this book from cover to cover and I still use it ALL the time as a great reference for DataSources, Transaction APIs, etc. The appendixes are more helpful than I could have imagined, they summarize so much stuff that I read in the book, but don't use very often, and have a hard time remembering sometimes. If you are looking for a good book to guide you through ALL the steps of database access with Java, then I highly suggest at the very least sitting down with this book for a while to get the feel of it, and see if it's for you. The book moves at a great pace, spending most of the time covering the basic, everyday, important stuff, but also spending enough time to show how to use some really neat more advanced features. Overall... another great book from WROX!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book, but not the best starting point for JDBC, September 11, 2002

By 

Daniel R. Greenfield "Dan" (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Beginning Java Databases: JDBC, SQL, J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML (Paperback)

Having read over two-thirds of this huge volume, I am now of the opinion that it probably is not the best place to begin exploring Java database development. The word "Beginning" in the title is a bit misleading: you shouldn't approach this book without a solid grounding in Java and databases in general. True, the introductory chapters cover essential SQL and other database concepts, but there is a steady ramping-up in the difficulty level as the book progresses, and it doesn't ever really level off. For example, Lauinger's treatment of his own Java Layered Frameworks open-source project in Chapter 16 is long-winded and daunting. And the later chapters assume complete familiarity with XML, JavaBeans, Servlets, and other more "advanced" topics. So, all in all, for the JDBC beginner I think that this is not the best book to begin your explorations of JDBC.

On the other hand, this is an exceptionally thorough book, very well written and with few typos. The authors are likeable, the price is affordable, the presentation and the coding are laid out well, the printing and binding excellent. So it may be just the book for you if you have the patience to plod through its 900 pages. Certainly, the book makes an excellent reference. However, it only covers the business logic of Java database applications. Most of the examples in the book are console-based programs for testing the business logic. There is no coverage of GUI-related topics, for example how to present data in a grid. As one of the authors remarks somewhere, their purpose in writing the book was not to present "pretty GUI's" but rather to concentrate on the internals, the business logic. While I can understand the importance of business logic, I also would have liked these experts to have given me some good pointers on how to present data in various data-aware controls in a GUI. After 600+ pages, I'm still waiting....

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK!, March 28, 2002

By 

Jennifer R. Lewis (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beginning Java Databases: JDBC, SQL, J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML (Paperback)

I'm using this book as my text book for my independent study of database programming with Java. This book is the tops! The primary focus is programming with the Cloudscape database, but it does give you code snippets to use if you're using Oracle or one of the Microsoft databases (like SQL Server). What impresses me about the book is it's one of the few instructional books that teaches a programmer how to wade in the water before it teaches the programmer how to dive in 20-ft deep water and swim.

Although the book is HUGE, it really explains in detail why the programmer is writing the particular code.

I also liked the idea that it dedicates a few chapters on SQL and database concepts. Although this may appear to be a rehash for experienced database programmers, it's still good to review, since it covers the topics from a Java perspective.

I teach at a college part-time. If the college decides to offer a third-level Java programming course to its students, then I would highly recommend this book for the class.

Excellent job again, WROX Press!