How to install JDBC driver in Eclipse web project without facing java.lang.ClassNotFoundexception

There is a VERY similar question to mine but in my case I don't have any duplicate jars in my build path, so the solution does not work for me. I've searched google for a couple of hours now, but none of the solutions I've found there actually resolve my issue. I'm creating a web site with some database connectivity for a homework. I'm using a MySQL database, developing in Eclipse and running on Windows.

I keep getting java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.mysql.jdbc.Driver with the following code:

import java.sql.*;
//...
public void someMethodInMyServlet(PrintWriter out)
{
    Connection connection = null;
    PreparedStatement query = null;
    try {

        out.println("Create the driver instance.<br>");
        Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver").newInstance();

        out.println("Get the connection.<br>");
        connection = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/test", "root", "secret");
        query = connection.prepareStatement( "SELECT * FROM customers");

        //...
    } catch (Exception e)
    {
        out.println(e.toString()+"<br>");
    }
}
//...

When I run the above code I get the following output:

Create the driver instance.
java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.mysql.jdbc.Driver

It doesn't get past the Class.forName... line and I can't figure out why! Here is what I did:

1. Download mysql-connector.
2. Put it in my MySQL folder C:\Program Files\MySQL\mysql-connector-java-5.1.12\mysql-connector-java-5.1.12-bin.jar.
3. Opened the project properties in Eclipse.
4. Add External Jar to my Build Path and I selected mysql-connector-java-5.1.12-bin.jar.

Every time I attempt to use the servlet I get the same error regardless if I have the jar in there or if I don't. Could you help me figure this out?

As for every "3rd-party" library in flavor of a JAR file which is to be used by the webapp, just copy/drop the physical JAR file in webapp's /WEB-INF/lib. It will then be available in webapp's default classpath. Also, Eclipse is smart enough to notice that. No need to hassle with buildpath. However, make sure to remove all unnecessary references you added before, else it might collide.

An alternative is to install it in the server itself by dropping the physical JAR file in server's own /lib folder. This is required when you're using server-provided JDBC connection pool data source which in turn needs the MySQL JDBC driver.

See also:

• How to add JAR libraries to WAR project without facing java.lang.ClassNotFoundException? Classpath vs Build Path vs /WEB-INF/lib
• How should I connect to JDBC database / datasource in a servlet based application?
• Where do I have to place the JDBC driver for Tomcat's connection pool?
• JDBC CLASSPATH Not Working

Since you are running it in servlet, you need to have the jar accessible by the servlet container. You either include the connector as part of your application war or put it as part of the servlet container's extended library and datasource management stuff, if it has one. The second part is totally depend on the container that you have.

The others are right about making the driver JAR available to your servlet container. My comment was meant to suggest that you verify from the command line whether the driver itself is intact.

Rather than an empty main(), try something like this, adapted from the included documentation:

public class LoadDriver {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver");
    }
}

On my platform, I'd do this:

$ ls mysql-connector-java-5.1.12-bin.jar 
mysql-connector-java-5.1.12-bin.jar
$ javac LoadDriver.java 
$ java -cp mysql-connector-java-5.1.12-bin.jar:. LoadDriver

On your platform, you need to use ; as the path separator, as discussed here and here.

Place mysql-connector-java-5.1.6-bin.jar to the \Apache Tomcat 6.0.18\lib folder. Your problem will be solved.

What you should not do do (especially when working on a shared project)

Ok, after had the same issue and after reading some answers here and other places. it seems that putting external lib into WEB-INF/lib is not that good idea as it pollute webapp/JRE libs with server-specific libraries - for more information check this answer"

Another solution that i do NOT recommend is: to copy it into tomcat/lib folder. although this may work, it will be hard to manage dependency for a shared(git for example) project.

Good solution 1

Create vendor folder. put there all your external lib. then, map this folder as dependency to your project. in eclipse you need to

1. add your folder to the build path
   1. Project Properties -> Java build path
   2. Libraries -> add external lib or any other solution to add your files/folder
2. add your build path to deployment Assembly (reference)
   1. Project Properties -> Deployment Assembly
   2. Add -> Java Build Path Entries
   3. You should now see the list of libraries on your build path that you can specify for inclusion into your finished WAR.
   4. Select the ones you want and hit Finish.

Good solution 2

Use maven (or any alternative) to manage project dependency