Similar to DB2 CLI, you do not have to precompile or bind a JDBC program. As a 

vendor neutral standard, JDBC applications offer increased portability. The 

JDBC API, which is similar to the CLI/ODBC API, provides a standard way to 

access databases from Java code. The Java code passes SQL statements to the 

DB2 JDBC driver, which handles the JDBC API calls. Java's portability enables 

the delivery of DB2 access to clients on multiple platforms, requiring only a 

Java enabled Web browser, or a Java runtime environment.

DB2 Version 8 offers different ways of creating Java applications, either using a 

type 2, type 3, or type 4 JDBC driver: 

Type 2 driver

: 

With a type 2 driver, calls to the JDBC application driver are translated to 

Java native methods. The Java applications that use this driver must run on a 

DB2 client, through which JDBC requests flow to the DB2 server. This is 

typically how DB2 is accessed by WebSphere Application Server.

Tip:

 If you want to prototype CLI calls before placing them in a program, 

you can use the 

db2cli.exe

(Windows) or 

db2cli

(Linux) file in the 

sqllib/samples/cli

 directory. There is also a document called INTCLI.DOC, 

which advises you about how to use the utility.

Type 3 driver

:

The DB2 JDBC type 3 driver, also known as the applet or net driver, consists 

of a JDBC client and a JDBC server. The DB2 JDBC applet driver can be 

loaded by the Web browser along with the applet. Another way is to use the 

applet driver in standalone Java applications. When the applet requests a 

connection to a DB2 database, the applet driver opens a TCP/IP socket to the 

DB2 JDBC applet server, which is the machine where the Web server 

resides. After a connection is set up, the applet driver sends each of the 

subsequent database access requests from the applet to the JDBC server 

through the TCP/IP connection. The JDBC server then makes corresponding 

DB2 calls to perform the task. Upon completion, the JDBC server sends the 

results back to the JDBC client through the connection. The use of the type 3 

driver is being deprecated with DB2 Version 8 because of the new type 4 

driver.

Type 4 driver

: 

The JDBC type 4 driver, which is new for Version 8, can be used to create 

both Java applications and applets. To run an applet that is based on the type 

4 driver, only a Java enabled browser is required, which downloads the applet 

and the JDBC driver (db2jcc.jar). To run a DB2 application with a type 4 

driver, only an entry for the JDBC driver in the 

class path

 and no DB2 client is 

required. This type 4 driver provides the initial implementation of the new 

26 

MySQL to DB2 UDB Conversion Guide