Choosing a JDBC Driver

JDBC uses a driver manager to support different drivers, so that you can connect to multiple database servers. To connect your database application to a data server, you must have available the appropriate JDBC driver. JDeveloper provides the Oracle Thin and OCI JDBC drivers. OCI for Oracle is the default driver. If you wish you may install a non-default JDBC driver.

Consider the following when choosing a JDBC driver to use for your application or applet:

If you are writing an applet, you must use the JDBC Thin driver. JDBC OCI-based driver classes will not work inside a Web browser, because they call native (C language) methods.
Note: When the JDBC Thin driver is used with an applet, the client browser must have the capability to support Java sockets.
If you want maximum portability and performance under Oracle8i and earlier, then use the JDBC Thin driver. You can connect to an Oracle server from either an application or an applet using the JDBC Thin driver.
If you are writing a client application for an Oracle client environment and need maximum performance, then choose the JDBC OCI driver.
For code that runs in an Oracle server acting as a middle tier, use the server-side Thin driver. (JDeveloper does not supply the server-side Thin driver.)
If your code will run inside the target Oracle server, then use the JDBC server-side internal driver to access that server. (You can also access remote servers using the server-side Thin driver.) (JDeveloper does not supply the JDBC server-side internal driver.)
If performance is critical to your application, you want maximum scalability of the Oracle server, or you need the enhanced availability features like TAF or the enhanced proxy features like middle-tier authentication, then choose the OCI driver.

For more information, see the Oracle9i JDBC Developer's Guide and Reference. This document is available online at the Oracle Technology Network (OTN) website, at otn.oracle.com/docs/products/oracle9i/content.html.