Which JDBC feature allows handling large result sets efficiently?

Streaming ResultSets in JDBC allow handling large result sets efficiently by fetching rows one by one as needed, instead of loading the entire result set into memory at once. This approach is particularly useful when dealing with very large datasets that would consume excessive memory if loaded all at once. Streaming ResultSets help to reduce memory usage and improve the performance of database operations involving large amounts of data.

To use streaming ResultSets, developers typically set the fetch size to a small number, instructing JDBC to retrieve a limited number of rows at a time. This allows the application to process large result sets in smaller chunks, making it more scalable and responsive, especially in memory-constrained environments.

Understanding how to implement and manage streaming ResultSets is essential for developers working with large datasets. It provides a practical solution for efficiently handling big data in Java applications, ensuring that the application remains performant and responsive, even when dealing with significant volumes of information.