In official terms, this driver is called . It is a Type 4 (pure Java) driver, meaning it doesn’t require any native MySQL libraries or C bindings—just a JAR file. Step 1: Choosing the Right Version (Crucial!) The biggest mistake developers make is grabbing the "latest" driver without checking compatibility. Here is the compatibility matrix you cannot ignore.
<dependency> <groupId>com.mysql</groupId> <artifactId>mysql-connector-j</artifactId> <version>8.1.0</version> </dependency> Note: Between 2021 and 2023, the artifactId changed from mysql-connector-java to mysql-connector-j . Both work, but the new one is shorter. mysql jdbc driver download
import java.sql.Connection; import java.sql.DriverManager; import java.sql.SQLException; public class MySqlTest public static void main(String[] args) // Note: "com.mysql.jdbc.Driver" is deprecated for version 8+. // Use "com.mysql.cj.jdbc.Driver" for Connector/J 8.x String jdbcUrl = "jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/your_database"; String username = "your_user"; String password = "your_password"; In official terms, this driver is called
implementation 'com.mysql:mysql-connector-j:8.1.0' For Ubuntu/Debian users, you can use apt , but be warned—these versions are often months or years old. Here is the compatibility matrix you cannot ignore