Suppose I created a standalone application in java and distributed it through my website.
What I need to know is what is the ideal Database solution I can use so that all the users can use the application without installing anything extra.
For example, if I use SQL server or MySql database, the downloader will need those installed so that I can dump my database on it. Another solution I see is to use Database file like Microsoft Access .mdb file. But that too will need Microsoft Office installed on the client. XML files are platform independent but anyone can open and change them.
What is the solution used by most of the applications?
H2 is a very potent candidate for your need. We use it as a default RDBMS in all our demo applications and also for db-driven unit testing.
You could use an embedded database. There are hundreds for Java some which use SQL and many which don't. Any database you use, you may want the users to be able to maintain, so users editing the data may be a good thing.
You could consider Derby as it ships with Java.
I would use plain flat files which are CSV formatted unless you have a more specific requirement. e.g. you can load and edit them in excel/spreadsheet editor/text editor.
H2 is the successor of HSQLDB (same developer). It is not only one of the finest embedded DBs for JAVA, it is also free, even for commercial use. It's great with hibernate and comes with with a powerful web-interface (you can start it by running the h2 jar file). Additionally there is the possibility to encrypt you database (AES). We use that feature for getting some security aspects right with some of our projects.
check javadb. it is easy and can be redistributed
Firebird can do this : there is an embedded version.
There is some good java drivers
Using MDB files on Windows doesn't require any additional installation requirements such as Microsoft Office. DAO and ADO have come with the Windows OS since Windows 2000.
Related
I need to create a simple Java application that connects to a local database file, and will run on a mac.
I've figured that JDBC is a good option, but what file format/drivers should I use?
Is .MDB files a possibility?
Thanks for any help!
For a small DB I would suggest using a DB written in Java. The DB's below or all
< 2mb. Keeping it in java means it is easy to transfer to Windows / Linux if need be.
Possible DB's include:
H2 - H2 has a mixed mode where the first time the DB is opened it is op
Advantages:
Mixed Mode
Only a couple of Files
has built-in SQL
HSQLDB - Version HSQLDB 1.80 is the smallest jar of the three (by a big margin)
The 2.* jars are similar in size to H2
Advantages:
Small size (Version 1.80)
Only a couple of Files
Apache Derby
All three offer Server and Embedded mode, H2 has mixed mode as well. All three are open source.
Use Apache Derby embedded in your application. This keeps it simple while still using standard JDBC.
H
Is .MDB files a possibility?
It could be, via a library like UCanAccess. However, using an Access database (.mdb or .accdb) would only be advisable if there was some other compelling reason to do so, e.g., to take a copy of the database file and use it with some other application that requires an Access database.
Otherwise, one of the suggestions from the other answers would probably be a better choice.
I have a Java SE application, and it uses a database. I am currently using XML files to store data, but I´m afraid it causes some errors in later use.
So it would be good to use a Postgree/MySQL like DB. A real database. but the problem is, it is a commercial application, it runs under windows, and should be 2 clicks to install. I really don't like the idea of installing a database together with my application, and then running scripts to build the tables.
Is there a database that I can use as a Java API? Or should I just continue to use XML? (I'm synchronizing every access to my XML files). Whats the best choice?
One of following embedded databases:
HSQLDB
H2
Derby
They are lightweight, take up very little space and can be embedded without problems in your application.
Since they are written in Java, and each one is a simple jar file, your deployment headaches will be kept to a minimum.
You've mentioned MySQL and PostgreSQL. Although I haven't tried it, H2 features several compatibility modes for various popular databases, including ones you've mentioned.
H2 Database
It can be embedded in your application with no clicks to install and it supports JDBC and most ORMs.
It is definitely worth to look for a simple SQLite database as the storage. It is just a single file on your file system. No need to set up a server. Check out the following thread for an introduction: Java and SQLite Another database you could check out is HSQLDB (link inside another answer inside this thread). That one is a relational database engine written in Java also based on a single file.
Based on my previous naive experience of storing data into XML, I wrote a entire forum system on XML and it's based on RSS parser and writer. The XML files became very big and thus causing frequent request time outs on the application.
You can instead use something like SQLite, where data is stored in a file but more managed and allows declarative statements like SELECT * FROM table.
i am not clear about steps/configuration details about how i can embed mysql in a Java desktop application so that it(application) can be installed on any machine through a single executable file and doing so sets up database and also provides an exe to run the app.Till now i have built my app using netbeans and i have used mysql to set up database.plz guide me further.
MySQL isn't an embedded database - the only JAR related to it is the JDBC driver. It requires a installation process, which might be able to be scripted via Java, but the process will definitely function outside of the Java application you intend it to support. Meaning, you can turn off your Java application but the MySQL service/daemon will still be running.
Only the libmysqld is embeddable.
There are embedded databases - SQLite, Firebird - and embedded databases made in Java - HSQL, Derby/(can't remember what it was called before). I believe SQL Server Compact Edition is embeddable, while SQL Server Express/MSDE is not. I don't know if Oracle has an embeddable version....
I would strongly recommend H2. It is a very fast embedded database written in Java and I've found it easier to use than some of the others mentioned such as HSQL.
Edit:
On the H2 website, you can see a speed comparison of H2 vs Derby, HSQL, MySql, etc...
Here's information on how to backup the database.
While theoritcaly possable it would not be easy. The standard MySql distributions assume you want to set up a general purpose database server with separate from the client applications cominicating via odbc etc.
You may be better looking at the "pure java" options like HSQL or JavaDB which are designed to be embedded in a java application, and need little or no "setup".
Another possibility is Sqlite which only needs a single binary plus the sqljbbc jar file. This is again designed from scratch to be embedded inside an application and requires zero admin apart from allocating a file for the database.
Take a look at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/connector-mxj.html. I do not remember the exact details but I was able to embed MySQL db in desktop application without user needing to install it separately.
The key class is com.mysql.management.MysqldResource.
Here is the example, http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/connector-mxj-configuration-java-object.html
The mysql-connector-mxj-gpl-db-files.jar file contains MySQL installation files for all the platforms. If you know which is your target platform, you can strip other platform versions from jar, to reduce download size for end user.
If you want an embedded database with java, then use one written in Java designed to be embedded. I know Apache Derby Can be embedded and apparently H2 too.
How big amount of data dó you need the database to handle?
Is there a "best" or more popular database for standalone Java app?
I'm currently writing by hand, but I would like to know what is commonly done, if there is something that is commonly done.
update: talking about small app (may grow, but its small for now)
I would suggest using something like SQLite with SQLiteJDBC.
It also sounds like HyperSQL and Derby (which ships with certain Java versions) are popular choices.
Java 6 ships with Derby (renamed JavaDB). It can be used in memory or server mode.
HyperSQL (HSQLDB) is also popular.
For development purposes, I often use the Hypersonic SQL Database (HSQLDB). It's fast and lightweight, and good enough to get started.
For a bigger application, I'd go for Derby, which supports more options.
The main competitors - HyperSQL (HSQLDB), JavaDB (Derby) and SQLite (not java-based) were mentioned.
There are a few other options:
db4o - object database
FirebirdSQL - not java-based.
Jackrabit - a content repository (not RDBMS) supporting embedded mode.
HSQLDB is a well-established option.
JavaDB comes with the development kit
apart all those mentioned here, one can also go for H2 database which is light and can be used in-memory or in server mode.
For a SQL option, you could try MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or Oracle. Those seem to be the most popular among Java developers.
If you want something NoSQL, MongoDB is the most popular choice with Java developers based on StackOverflow data from 2022.
You can find more information on the metrics used to make that determination in this article.
I want to write a small (5-6 table) desktop app in Java. I want to use Firebird 2.1. database. But I googled and see HSQLDB. I want to make a decision between Firebird and hsqldb.
So which database I have to use?
Firebird runs in a process of its own and your java app needs to communicate with it. The advantage HSQLDB has that it is written in java, and can run in the same process, which simplifies your installation and runtime check ups (Is the db running, connection errors, etc.). It can persist the data to the disk as well. AN additional option is the H2 database db, which also can run in process.
I'd go with the HSQLDB or H2.
For a desktop application an embedded database should be enough. hsqldb or h2 are very well suited for this. You just have to add the JAR file to you applications classpath. Firebird looks more complex.
Actually, H2 is more advanced than hsqldb.
Firebird is very good embedded database and just win an award at SouceForge this year
SQLite have good press for embedded Database too.
I recomend HSQLDB because it's implemented in Java (so you have the same platform as the application) and I guess that you don't need any of the feature for the project of that size that could FireBird provide.
Don't forget that Java 6 comes with JavaDB, and that may be a useful implementation for a first solution. It's a repackaged Apache Derby, and consequently quite powerful.