Amazon.com (ISBN 0201309955, Paperback)

Although Java is touted for its simplicity, it also has its thornier sides, and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)--Java's database class library--is certainly one of them. Thankfully, the creators of the JDBC specification at Sun Microsystems have brought out JDBC Database Access with Java, an authoritative guide to basic and advanced topics in JDBC. Though the book suffers from a bland writing style, it does include some indispensable information. The guide begins with a basic tutorial on Structured Query Language (SQL) and teaches the rudiments of using Java as a programming language. It then provides instructions for performing basic database operations in JDBC, from simple topics such as joins, updates, and queries with result sets to more advanced topics such as transactions and stored procedures. The section on how to use MetaData classes, which allow programmers to read and manipulate table structures, is quite valuable. In addition, all basic database problems include short sample code.

The second half of JDBC Database Access with Java contains a useful reference to the dozen-and-a-half classes in the JDBC library. Each section provides a general overview of the class and a guide to all APIs. This portion of the book also includes a guide to data types in JDBC and all of today's major SQL server platforms. The final chapter recounts how the JDBC specification was created. Appendices offer short tips for developers who are writing JDBC drivers (who will absolutely want this book on their shelves). Although most Java developers will want to write to a higher level of classes, those new solutions will rely on JDBC, an effective tool for writing database-independent code in Java.