Java JDBC + IntelliJ + SQLite - A Beginner's Walkthrough

IntelliJ Community + JDBC + SQLITE

(or any other database)

• no build tool required (Maven or Gradle)
• we'll be downloading the sqlite command-line shell (https://www.sqlite.org/cli.html)
  • this will make it easy to create a database file and use it as our connection in jdbc.
• sqlite drivers from (org.xerial.sqlite)

Step 1: Project Setup

1.1 create a new project

File > New > Project..

click on New Project
pick a name for your project (we will be calling it jdbc-test)
click Create

1.2 adding the sqlite driver

once your new project is created go to

File > Project Structure > Libraries

click the + sign and then Maven
(you could also download the jar yourself
sqlite driver jar,
Maven just does it for you)

• search for org.xerial.sqlite-driver and use the latest version (3.42.0.0 as of this commit)
• optional: you can choose to store your library in a lib folder for organizational purposes.
• click okay to add the dependency.

Step 2: Getting a Database File with the SQLite

2.1 downloading the tool

visit the sqlite downloads page
install the precompiled binaries for your target OS

• make sure your download has the following description:

A bundle of command-line tools for managing SQLite database files,
including the command-line shell program, the sqldiff.exe program,
and the sqlite3_analyzer.exe program.

2.1 identifying your tools

• unzip the downloaded folder and view the contents inside.
• you should see sqldiff, sqlite3, and sqlite3_analyzer.
• you are only interested in sqlite3 for now.
• start sqlite3

2.3 using sqlite3 cli

• to create a new database file simply type

.save [name-of-database-file]

• this will create a new file in the same folder as the sqlite3 application.

2.4 handling the database resource file

• move the file into your IntelliJ Community Edition project.
• you can store in the root directory or in some resource folder

Step 3: Using JDBC and SQLite

you are now ready to start using Sqlite and JDBC!

• you can learn how to use JDBC through the following resources:
  • https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/jdbc/basics/index.html
  • https://www.baeldung.com/java-jdbc

look through the source code for a quick example using our newly created database file.