How do you load a JDBC driver in Java?

To load a JDBC driver in Java, the Class.forName("driverClassName") method is commonly used. This method dynamically loads the specified driver class into memory, which registers the driver with the DriverManager. Once the driver is loaded, it becomes available for establishing connections to the database through the DriverManager.getConnection() method.

This approach was standard in earlier versions of JDBC, where explicit driver loading was necessary to ensure that the driver was registered before any database connections were made. In modern JDBC implementations (JDBC 4.0 and later), drivers are automatically loaded when the application is started, provided the driver JAR file is included in the classpath. This automatic loading eliminates the need for explicit Class.forName() calls in most cases.

Despite the evolution of JDBC, understanding how to manually load a driver remains important for legacy systems and for scenarios where specific driver management is required. The Class.forName() method provides a straightforward way to ensure that the appropriate driver is available for database operations.