A factory for connections to the physical data source that this DataSource
object represents. An alternative to the DriverManager
facility, a DataSource
object is the preferred means of getting a connection. An object that implements the DataSource
interface will typically be registered with a naming service based on the JavaTM Naming and Directory (JNDI) API.
The DataSource
interface is implemented by a driver vendor. There are three types of implementations:
- Basic implementation -- produces a standard
Connection
object - Connection pooling implementation -- produces a
Connection
object that will automatically participate in connection pooling. This implementation works with a middle-tier connection pooling manager. - Distributed transaction implementation -- produces a
Connection
object that may be used for distributed transactions and almost always participates in connection pooling. This implementation works with a middle-tier transaction manager and almost always with a connection pooling manager.
A DataSource
object has properties that can be modified when necessary. For example, if the data source is moved to a different server, the property for the server can be changed. The benefit is that because the data source's properties can be changed, any code accessing that data source does not need to be changed.
A driver that is accessed via a DataSource
object does not register itself with the DriverManager
. Rather, a DataSource
object is retrieved though a lookup operation and then used to create a Connection
object. With a basic implementation, the connection obtained through a DataSource
object is identical to a connection obtained through the DriverManager
facility.
@since JDK 1.4
@author deforest@users
@author boucherb@users
@version 2.0
@revised JDK 1.6, HSQLDB 2.0