GUI Database Connection Project

Project Overview

This Java application provides a GUI interface for connecting to Oracle databases using Swing for the user interface and JDBC for database connectivity. The project demonstrates core Java programming concepts including object-oriented design, exception handling, and database operations.

Project Goals

1. Create a user-friendly interface for database connections
2. Implement secure authentication mechanisms
3. Display database metadata upon successful connection
4. Serve as a learning tool for Java GUI and database programming

Technical Stack

• Core Language: Java 8+
• GUI Framework: Java Swing
• Database Connectivity: JDBC with Oracle Thin Driver
• Build Tool: Maven (optional)
• IDE: IntelliJ IDEA or Eclipse

Architecture Overview

The application follows a simple MVC pattern:

1. Model: DatabaseConnector.java handles all database operations
2. View: Swing components for user interface
3. Controller: Main class coordinates between view and model

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

1. Java 8 or later installed (check with java -version)
2. Oracle JDBC driver (ojdbc8.jar) in your classpath

Configuration

1. Clone this repository
2. Add ojdbc8.jar to your project's build path
3. The application connects to: jdbc:oracle:thin:@artemis.vsnet.gmu.edu:1521/vse18c.vsnet.gmu.edu

Running the Project

1. Compile all Java files
2. Run the Main class
3. Enter your database credentials when prompted

Development Journey

This project was developed as part of learning Java GUI programming and database connectivity. Key milestones included:

1. Designing the Swing interface
2. Implementing JDBC connection logic
3. Adding error handling for failed connections
4. Displaying database metadata

Future enhancements could include:

• Query execution interface
• Result set visualization
• Connection pooling
• Multi-database support

Usage

Basic Usage

1. Launch the application
2. Enter valid database credentials
3. Click "Connect" to establish connection

Expected Output

• Successful connection displays database metadata including:
  • Database product name and version
  • Driver information
  • Available schemas
• Failed connections show appropriate error messages

License

This project is available under the MIT License.