Database Programming with JDBC and Java (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Java Database Connectivity classes (JDBC) sensibly provide an interface between a platform-independent programming language (Java) and a standardized database language (Structured Query Language, or SQL). Pretty much every Java program that's involved in transactions or other business operations connects to a database through JDBC; so, familiarity with the JDBC classes can magnify your other Java skills. Database Programming with JDBC and Java explains how JDBC fits into unitized software applications in which various functional parts communicate over a network. Author George Reese also shows how to write programs that take advantage of the JDBC classes, emphasizing the most commonly used ones (such as those that perform INSERT and SELECT operations), but giving also the more obscure classes their due.

This book is essentially an ongoing lecture of increasing complexity. To cite one thread, it begins with clear but academic examples that involve discrete transactions (opening a connection, performing a query, and closing the connection). It then moves on to connection pooling and other JDBC-supported optimizations for the real world. A menagerie of specialized sections on such topics as security and persistence rely heavily on long code examples. A section on Swing programming seems kind of out of place, but it's short. In sum, this slim volume is a great introduction to JDBC for those who are looking to approach Java distributed applications by way of database work.

Punk music fans, however, will object to the misidentification of the Sex Pistols' classic album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. It's actually Never Mind the Bullocks, Here Come the Sex Pistols. Rotten fact-checking, obviously. --David Wall

Topics covered: The Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) classes, with emphasis on how JDBC code fits into distributed applications (so-called enterprise applications) that use Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) and Remote Method Invocation (RMI). Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI), serialization, persistence, security, and (especially) application design receive plenty of attention. Fully a quarter of this book is a reference (including statements of syntax and brief descriptions) to the JDBC Core API and the JDBC Optional Package classes.

From Library Journal

O'Reilly books are rarely for neophytes, but advanced users swear by them, and these will be no exception. Englander covers a hot Java subtopic for students, programmers, and professionals already familar with Java and object-oriented programming. He discusses events, event adapters, properties, persistence, java archive files, the BeanBox tool, property editors, ActiveX, and the java.beans Package. Flanagan's work is the book Java programmers want nearby when they are at the keyboard. A complete ready-reference work, this belongs in all collections supporting programmers. Java is a constantly changing language so Nutshell will be coming out often with new editions; always have the newest one on hand. Reese goes beyond simple applet design to relational databases, SQL, object-oriented database applications, application servers, and remote object manipulation. The examples used throughout the book are based on a banking application designed in Java.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 2 edition (January 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565926161
• ISBN-13: 978-1565926165
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #732,108 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good quality second edition, September 12, 2000

By A Customer

The author does a good job of covering new concepts as relevant to Java 2 platform and JDBC 2.0. This book is vastly revamped and is better than the first edition.

Though the author rightly says in the preface that this may not be the book for the beginners, I feel it may not be an ideal JDBC reference book either. The emphasis of this book is on how to build a robust middle tier that interacts with a relational database using JDBC.

Though several examples appear in the book, they could be categorized as relevant for developing a framework than useful for learning by example. Many books that cover EJB, Servlets and JSP now a days provide excellent stand-alone examples of using JDBC.

If you are looking for a book that gives sample "design patterns" for building a middle tier, then this one is for you. If you want to learn JDBC by example, this may not be the book you would want to buy.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book worth reading, the unexpected is cool., September 12, 1997

By	John Taylor - See all my reviews

This review is from: Database Programming with JDBC and Java (Paperback)

The best part of this book is in discussing the process of designing a distributed 3-tier application using Java. The writing is clear and elegant. Figures are impressive. Maybe JDBC itself does not have enough interesting content, the author spent much effort to explore the multiple tier computing model and RMI instead. So, the inside is not exactly what you expected from the book title. It should be, as Reese commented, Distributed 3-tier Client/Server with RMI and JDBC.

I think many people come to this book for detailed JDBC programming information. Anyone who programmed non-trivial JDBC would know that there are a lot bolts and nuts to tackle. To this effect, the book is quite thin. You should not expect this book to help you much in JDBC trouble-shootings. Nevertheless, it is a good guide to teach you design and deploy your JDBC programs on the Internet. As another comment said, I found this book a pleasant surprise, too.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mistitled, though nonetheless excellent book., October 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Database Programming with JDBC and Java (Paperback)

As many have noted, the title of this book is probably a misnomer. It does cover JDBC to a reasonable depth in a very well executed fashion, but it does not go in depth enough to be the standard reference on the subject. However, don't let this keep you from reading this book! It's a panacea for distributed application development, object persistence, and even a dash of design patterns. RMI and JDBC are the technologies used to illustrate the excellent thought process that went into this book, and it is much more valuable than any Teach Yourself JDBC in 21 Days sort of book will ever be. You may need a more complete reference book if you will be doing a lot of JDBC programming, but this book will teach you how JDBC is best used, which in the end is much more valuable.

Once you know what you are getting into, you will find that this book meets your needs rather well.