jdk/src/share/classes/javax/sql/package.html
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    30 
       
    31 
       
    32 
       
    33 <body bgcolor="white">
       
    34 
       
    35 Provides the API for server side data source access and processing from
       
    36 the Java<sup><font size=-2>TM</font></sup> programming language.
       
    37 This package supplements the <code>java.sql</code>
       
    38 package and, as of the version 1.4 release, is included in the 
       
    39 Java Platform, Standard Edition
       
    40 (Java SE<sup><font size=-2>TM</sup></font>).
       
    41 It remains an essential part of the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition
       
    42 (Java EE<sup><font size=-2>TM</sup></font>).
       
    43 <P>
       
    44 The <code>javax.sql</code> package provides for the following:
       
    45 <OL>
       
    46   <LI>The <code>DataSource</code> interface as an alternative to the 
       
    47       <code>DriverManager</code> for establishing a 
       
    48       connection with a data source
       
    49   <LI>Connection pooling and Statement pooling
       
    50   <LI>Distributed transactions
       
    51   <LI>Rowsets
       
    52 </OL>
       
    53 <P>
       
    54 Applications use the <code>DataSource</code> and <code>RowSet</code>
       
    55 APIs directly, but the connection pooling and distributed transaction
       
    56 APIs are used internally by the middle-tier infrastructure.
       
    57 
       
    58 <H2>Using a <code>DataSource</code> Object to Make a Connection</H2>
       
    59 
       
    60 The <code>javax.sql</code> package provides the preferred
       
    61 way to make a connection with a data source.  The <code>DriverManager</code>
       
    62 class, the original mechanism, is still valid, and code using it will
       
    63 continue to run.  However, the newer <code>DataSource</code> mechanism
       
    64 is preferred because it offers many advantages over the 
       
    65 <code>DriverManager</code> mechanism.
       
    66 <P>
       
    67 These are the main advantages of using a <code>DataSource</code> object to 
       
    68 make a connection:
       
    69 <UL>
       
    70   
       
    71   <LI>Changes can be made to a data source's properties, which means
       
    72       that it is not necessary to make changes in application code when
       
    73       something about the data source or driver changes.
       
    74   <LI>Connection  and Statement pooling and distributed transactions are available
       
    75       through a <code>DataSource</code> object that is
       
    76       implemented to work with the middle-tier infrastructure.
       
    77       Connections made through the <code>DriverManager</code>
       
    78       do not have connection and statement pooling or distributed transaction
       
    79       capabilities.
       
    80 </UL>
       
    81 <P>
       
    82 Driver vendors provide <code>DataSource</code> implementations. A
       
    83 particular <code>DataSource</code> object represents a particular
       
    84 physical data source, and each connection the <code>DataSource</code> object
       
    85 creates is a connection to that physical data source. 
       
    86 <P>
       
    87 A logical name for the data source is registered with a naming service that
       
    88 uses the Java Naming and Directory Interface<sup><font size=-2>TM</font></sup>  
       
    89 (JNDI) API, usually by a system administrator or someone performing the 
       
    90 duties of a system administrator. An application can retrieve the
       
    91 <code>DataSource</code> object it wants by doing a lookup on the logical
       
    92 name that has been registered for it.  The application can then use the 
       
    93 <code>DataSource</code> object to create a connection to the physical data
       
    94 source it represents.
       
    95 <P>
       
    96 A <code>DataSource</code> object can be implemented to work with the 
       
    97 middle tier infrastructure so that the connections it produces will be
       
    98 pooled for reuse. An application that uses such a <code>DataSource</code> 
       
    99 implementation will automatically get a connection that participates in
       
   100 connection pooling.  
       
   101 A <code>DataSource</code> object can also be implemented to work with the 
       
   102 middle tier infrastructure so that the connections it produces can be
       
   103 used for distributed transactions without any special coding.
       
   104 
       
   105 <H2>Connection Pooling and Statement Pooling</H2>
       
   106 
       
   107 Connections made via a <code>DataSource</code>
       
   108 object that is implemented to work with a middle tier connection pool manager
       
   109 will participate in connection pooling.  This can improve performance
       
   110 dramatically because creating new connections is very expensive. 
       
   111 Connection pooling allows a connection to be used and reused, 
       
   112 thus cutting down substantially on the number of new connections 
       
   113 that need to be created.
       
   114 <P>
       
   115 Connection pooling is totally transparent.  It is done automatically
       
   116 in the middle tier of a Java EE configuration, so from an application's 
       
   117 viewpoint, no change in code is required. An application simply uses
       
   118 the <code>DataSource.getConnection</code> method to get the pooled
       
   119 connection and uses it the same way it uses any <code>Connection</code>
       
   120 object.
       
   121 <P>
       
   122 The classes and interfaces used for connection pooling are:
       
   123 <UL>
       
   124   <LI><code>ConnectionPoolDataSource</code>
       
   125   <LI><code>PooledConnection</code>
       
   126   <LI><code>ConnectionEvent</code>
       
   127   <LI><code>ConnectionEventListener</code>
       
   128    <LI><code>StatementEvent</code>
       
   129   <LI><code>StatementEventListener</code>
       
   130 </UL>
       
   131 The connection pool manager, a facility in the middle tier of
       
   132 a three-tier architecture, uses these classes and interfaces
       
   133 behind the scenes.  When a <code>ConnectionPoolDataSource</code> object
       
   134 is called on to create a <code>PooledConnection</code> object, the
       
   135 connection pool manager will register as a <code>ConnectionEventListener</code>
       
   136 object with the new <code>PooledConnection</code> object.  When the connection
       
   137 is closed or there is an error, the connection pool manager (being a listener)
       
   138 gets a notification that includes a <code>ConnectionEvent</code> object.
       
   139 <p>
       
   140 If the connection pool manager supports <code>Statement</code> pooling, for
       
   141 <code>PreparedStatements</code>, which can be determined by invoking the method 
       
   142 <code>DatabaseMetaData.supportsStatementPooling</code>,  the
       
   143 connection pool manager will register as a <code>StatementEventListener</code>
       
   144 object with the new <code>PooledConnection</code> object.  When the 
       
   145 <code>PreparedStatement</code> is closed or there is an error, the connection 
       
   146 pool manager (being a listener)
       
   147 gets a notification that includes a <code>StatementEvent</code> object.
       
   148 <p>
       
   149 
       
   150 <H2>Distributed Transactions</H2>
       
   151 
       
   152 As with pooled connections, connections made via a <code>DataSource</code>
       
   153 object that is implemented to work with the middle tier infrastructure
       
   154 may participate in distributed transactions.  This gives an application
       
   155 the ability to involve data sources on multiple servers in a single
       
   156 transaction.
       
   157 <P>
       
   158 The classes and interfaces used for distributed transactions are:
       
   159 <UL>
       
   160   <LI><code>XADataSource</code>
       
   161   <LI><code>XAConnection</code>
       
   162 </UL>
       
   163 These interfaces are used by the transaction manager; an application does
       
   164 not use them directly.
       
   165 <P>
       
   166 The <code>XAConnection</code> interface is derived from the
       
   167 <code>PooledConnection</code> interface, so what applies to a pooled connection
       
   168 also applies to a connection that is part of a distributed transaction.  
       
   169 A transaction manager in the middle tier handles everything transparently.
       
   170 The only change in application code is that an application cannot do anything
       
   171 that would interfere with the transaction manager's handling of the transaction.
       
   172 Specifically, an application cannot call the methods <code>Connection.commit</code> 
       
   173 or <code>Connection.rollback</code>, and it cannot set the connection to be in 
       
   174 auto-commit mode (that is, it cannot call 
       
   175 <code>Connection.setAutoCommit(true)</code>).  
       
   176 <P>
       
   177 An application does not need to do anything special to participate in a
       
   178 distributed transaction.
       
   179 It simply creates connections to the data sources it wants to use via
       
   180 the <code>DataSource.getConnection</code> method, just as it normally does.
       
   181 The transaction manager manages the transaction behind the scenes.  The
       
   182 <code>XADataSource</code> interface creates <code>XAConnection</code> objects, and
       
   183 each <code>XAConnection</code> object creates an <code>XAResource</code> object 
       
   184 that the transaction manager uses to manage the connection.
       
   185 
       
   186 
       
   187 <H2>Rowsets</H2>
       
   188 The <code>RowSet</code> interface works with various other classes and
       
   189 interfaces behind the scenes. These can be grouped into three categories.
       
   190 <OL>
       
   191 <LI>Event Notification 
       
   192 <UL>
       
   193   <LI><code>RowSetListener</code><br>
       
   194 A <code>RowSet</code> object is a JavaBeans<sup><font size=-2>TM</font></sup>
       
   195 component because it has properties and participates in the JavaBeans
       
   196 event notification mechanism. The <code>RowSetListener</code> interface 
       
   197 is implemented by a component that wants to be notified about events that 
       
   198 occur to a particular <code>RowSet</code> object.  Such a component registers
       
   199 itself as a listener with a rowset via the <code>RowSet.addRowSetListener</code>
       
   200 method.
       
   201 <P>
       
   202 When the <code>RowSet</code> object changes one of its rows, changes all of
       
   203 it rows, or moves its cursor, it also notifies each listener that is registered 
       
   204 with it.  The listener reacts by carrying out its implementation of the 
       
   205 notification method called on it.
       
   206 <P>
       
   207   <LI><code>RowSetEvent</code><br>
       
   208 As part of its internal notification process, a <code>RowSet</code> object
       
   209 creates an instance of <code>RowSetEvent</code> and passes it to the listener.
       
   210 The listener can use this <code>RowSetEvent</code> object to find out which rowset
       
   211 had the event.
       
   212 </UL>
       
   213 <P>
       
   214 <LI>Metadata 
       
   215 <UL>
       
   216   <LI><code>RowSetMetaData</code><br>
       
   217 This interface, derived from the
       
   218 <code>ResultSetMetaData</code> interface, provides information about
       
   219 the columns in a <code>RowSet</code> object.  An application can use
       
   220 <code>RowSetMetaData</code> methods to find out how many columns the
       
   221 rowset contains and what kind of data each column can contain.
       
   222 <P>
       
   223 The <code>RowSetMetaData</code> interface provides methods for
       
   224 setting the information about columns, but an application would not
       
   225 normally use these methods.  When an application calls the <code>RowSet</code> 
       
   226 method <code>execute</code>, the <code>RowSet</code> object will contain
       
   227 a new set of rows, and its <code>RowSetMetaData</code> object will have been
       
   228 internally updated to contain information about the new columns.
       
   229 <P>
       
   230 </UL>
       
   231 <LI>The Reader/Writer Facility<br>
       
   232 A <code>RowSet</code> object that implements the <code>RowSetInternal</code>
       
   233 interface can call on the <code>RowSetReader</code> object associated with it
       
   234 to populate itself with data.  It can also call on the <code>RowSetWriter</code>
       
   235 object associated with it to write any changes to its rows back to the
       
   236 data source from which it originally got the rows.
       
   237 A rowset that remains connected to its data source does not need to use a 
       
   238 reader and writer because it can simply operate on the data source directly.
       
   239 
       
   240 <UL>
       
   241   <LI><code>RowSetInternal</code><br>
       
   242 By implementing the <code>RowSetInternal</code> interface, a 
       
   243 <code>RowSet</code> object gets access to
       
   244 its internal state and is able to call on its reader and writer. A rowset
       
   245 keeps track of the values in its current rows and of the values that immediately
       
   246 preceded the current ones, referred to as the <i>original</i> values.  A rowset
       
   247 also keeps track of (1) the parameters that have been set for its command and 
       
   248 (2) the connection that was passed to it, if any.  A rowset uses the 
       
   249 <code>RowSetInternal</code> methods behind the scenes to get access to
       
   250 this information.  An application does not normally invoke these methods directly.
       
   251 <P>
       
   252   <LI><code>RowSetReader</code><br>
       
   253 A disconnected <code>RowSet</code> object that has implemented the 
       
   254 <code>RowSetInternal</code> interface can call on its reader (the 
       
   255 <code>RowSetReader</code> object associated with it) to populate it with 
       
   256 data.  When an application calls the <code>RowSet.execute</code> method, 
       
   257 that method calls on the rowset's reader to do much of the work. Implementations
       
   258 can vary widely, but generally a reader makes a connection to the data source,
       
   259 reads data from the data source and populates the rowset with it, and closes
       
   260 the connection. A reader may also update the <code>RowSetMetaData</code> object
       
   261 for its rowset.  The rowset's internal state is also updated, either by the
       
   262 reader or directly by the method <code>RowSet.execute</code>.
       
   263 
       
   264 
       
   265   <LI><code>RowSetWriter</code><br>
       
   266 A disconnected <code>RowSet</code> object that has implemented the 
       
   267 <code>RowSetInternal</code> interface can call on its writer (the 
       
   268 <code>RowSetWriter</code> object associated with it) to write changes
       
   269 back to the underlying data source.  Implementations may vary widely, but
       
   270 generally, a writer will do the following:
       
   271 
       
   272 <P>
       
   273 <UL>
       
   274   <LI>Make a connection to the data source 
       
   275   <LI>Check to see whether there is a conflict, that is, whether
       
   276       a value that has been changed in the rowset has also been changed 
       
   277       in the data source
       
   278   <LI>Write the new values to the data source if there is no conflict 
       
   279   <LI>Close the connection
       
   280 </UL>
       
   281  
       
   282 
       
   283 </UL>
       
   284 </OL>
       
   285 <P>
       
   286 The <code>RowSet</code> interface may be implemented in any number of
       
   287 ways, and anyone may write an implementation. Developers are encouraged 
       
   288 to use their imaginations in coming up with new ways to use rowsets.
       
   289 <P>
       
   290 <B>IMPORTANT NOTE:</B> Code that uses API marked "Since 1.6" must be run using a 
       
   291 JDBC technology driver that implements the JDBC 4.0 API.
       
   292 You must check your driver documentation to be sure that it implements
       
   293 the particular features you want to use.
       
   294 <P>
       
   295 
       
   296 <h2>Package Specification</h2>
       
   297 
       
   298 <ul>
       
   299   <li><a href="http://java.sun.com/products/jdbc/download.html">Specification of the 
       
   300       JDBC 4.0 API</a>
       
   301 </ul>
       
   302 
       
   303 <h2>Related Documentation</h2>
       
   304 
       
   305 The Java Series book published by Addison-Wesley Longman provides detailed
       
   306 information about the classes and interfaces in the <code>javax.sql</code>
       
   307 package: 
       
   308 
       
   309 <ul>
       
   310   <li><a href="http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jdbc"><i>JDBC<sup><font size=-2>TM</font></sup>
       
   311       API Tutorial and Reference, Third Edition:</i></a>
       
   312 </ul>
       
   313 <P>
       
   314 @since 1.4
       
   315 </body>
       
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