Web databases and data-oriented design

The database is an essential component in most Web applications. Web databases provide data storage and search ability. Without a database to write to and read from, there would be no way to maintain data persistence. Each time a user logged off their data would be lost. Good data architecture provides much more than mere data persistence, however. In today's application environment, users generate enormous amounts of data. Processing big data and turning it into useful information for the user requires application developers to take on a data-oriented design mentality.

Top Stories

Feature 15 Mar 2021
Why Java devs should switch to Python or R for data science

Java devs looking to explore or work in data science may need another language up their sleeves. Python and R are common Java alternatives for data science. Continue Reading
Video 30 Sep 2020
A HibernateUtil class example to simplify JPA code

Developers can use HibernateUtil to mitigate access to JPA EntityManager and create more readable, less resource intensive code for data-driven applications. Continue Reading

Blog Post 31 May 2022

How to create a database schema in MySQL

Want to work with MySQL databases using Java? Here's a quick walkthrough of the first step to do that: create a schema. Continue Reading
Blog Post 11 Aug 2021

Java shows promise AI app scaling

Find out how Java provides a promising alternative for coding data science applications that may make it easier to develop more scalable AI. Continue Reading
Feature 15 Mar 2021

Why Java devs should switch to Python or R for data science

Java devs looking to explore or work in data science may need another language up their sleeves. Python and R are common Java alternatives for data science. Continue Reading
Video 30 Sep 2020

A HibernateUtil class example to simplify JPA code

Developers can use HibernateUtil to mitigate access to JPA EntityManager and create more readable, less resource intensive code for data-driven applications. Continue Reading
Feature 25 Sep 2020

How COVID-19 created a demand for COBOL basics

An uptick in COBOL interest stems from its presence in entrenched, legacy government apps, such as unemployment or apps for emergency loans. A rush to use these apps at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic reminded us all that COBOL remains a force in 2020. Continue Reading
Blog Post 02 Aug 2020

An example hibernate.cfg.xml for MySQL 8 and Hibernate 5

Hibernate 5 has updated dialects for various databases, and MySQL 8 has a special one of its own. Here's an example hibernate.cfg.xml for MySQL 8 for Hibernate 5 apps or newer. Continue Reading
Blog Post 02 Aug 2020

Build a Hibernate SessionFactory by example

Hibernate SessionFactory tutorial If a developer uses the Hibernate core framework, they will need to build a SessionFactory before they can do any data persistence. As the name implies, the ... Continue Reading
Video 29 Jul 2020

How JPA EntityManager handles Hibernate transaction management

Follow this JPA EntityManager persist example tutorial to see how it can be used for transaction management and how to save changes to the database. Continue Reading
Blog Post 28 Jul 2020

The right MySQL persistence.xml example file for JPA 2.2 and Hibernate 5

Old JDBC drivers and new MySQL 8 databases don't mesh. Here's an updated MySQL persistence.xml example file for those doing JPA and Hibernate development. Continue Reading
Blog Post 01 Jul 2020

The JPA and Hibernate CRUD operations example

CRUD with Hibernate and JPA tutorial There are many classes and interfaces that make up the JPA and Hibernate API, and the sheer volume of development options can overwhelm even the most seasoned ... Continue Reading
Video 26 Jun 2020

3 ways to have JPA and Hibernate create tables in a database

JPA frameworks such as Hibernate can automatically create tables. Here are three ways to have JPA and Hibernate create tables in a database. Continue Reading
Video 25 Jun 2020

Simple database integration with the JPA persistence.xml file

The persistence.xml file plays a significant role in all facets of JPA-based application development. Examine the file's properties for a simple configuration to ease development. Continue Reading
Video 23 Jun 2020

How MySQL InnoDB vs. MyISAM data engines compare

Data integrity, performance and transactional capabilities create the MyISAM vs. InnoDB data set debate for MySQL users. Compare the two to see which one makes sense for your data. Continue Reading
Video 12 Jun 2020

Create a distraction free JPA and Hibernate dev environment

A minimalistic approach is the way to go for development with Hibernate and JPA. Create a development environment with only the basics -- a JDK, Hibernate and a text editor -- to get started. Continue Reading
Video 08 Jun 2020

How to install MySQL on Windows for app development

Couple a MySQL installation on Windows with three helpful developer tools, MySQL Workbench, MySQL Shell and Connector/J for an easy-to-use back-end database with community support. Continue Reading
Blog Post 01 Apr 2020

Quickly fix the MySQL MyISAM type SQLSyntaxErrorException for Hibernate

https://youtu.be/d0AJKtPgx3M There's nothing worse for a developer than an SQLException in Hibernate and JPA. And there's nothing more annoying than when the SQLException happens before any of the ... Continue Reading
Blog Post 23 Dec 2019

Top 5 functional Java interfaces

Many developers get intimidated when they look at all the new APIs that accept lambda expressions as arguments, and wonder how they'll ever figure out which Java function to use and what the proper ... Continue Reading
Blog Post 25 Nov 2019

UX design reviews key to every web content management strategy

In most enterprise organizations, UX designers and content managers are separate roles filled by different people. As a person who has worked in both capacities, I'm constantly reminded of the ... Continue Reading
Video 30 May 2019

JDBC in Java: 5 facts to know before you begin

Are you new to Java programming? Here are five interesting facts about the JDBC API and what you need to know about it to ease your development pathway. Continue Reading
Video 24 May 2019

JDBC vs. ODBC: What's the difference between these APIs?

There are more similarities between ODBC and JDBC than there are differences. But, the differences are significant. Here we highlight them. Continue Reading
Blog Post 05 May 2019

How to install Tomcat as your Java application server

Doing Java web development and need to install Tomcat? This example will show you how to download, meet prerequisites, install and test the popular Java web server. Continue Reading
Blog Post 01 Jul 2018

Surprise results stem from curious data analytics models

Sometimes it's just a hunch that kicks off a data analytics project. But surprising results often come from data analytics models put together by those who are both curious and perceptive. Continue Reading
Blog Post 13 Jun 2018

ObjectOutputStream example: A Java object serialization tutorial

Java object serialization is a feature of the JDK that is far too often overlooked. When a developer puts together a prototype or cooks up a proof of concept, simply saving a serialized Java object ... Continue Reading
Blog Post 13 Jun 2018

JPA and Hibernate enum mapping with annotations and the hbm.xml file

Ever since they were introduced in Java 5, enums have been catching developers off guard. How do you perform JPA and Hibernate enum mapping with annotations or even XML files? It's actually not ... Continue Reading
Blog Post 27 Feb 2018

The things you need to know about managing cloud data

Many organizations moved into the cloud with more enthusiasm than forethought. Which is why it is more important than ever for organizations to rethink how they manage and secure cloud data. Continue Reading
Opinion 12 Feb 2018

Why this quantum computing breakthrough is a security risk

Quantum computing will void pretty much all security encryption techniques and open the door to hackers. Here's how to protect your data when it does. Continue Reading
Podcast 07 Feb 2018

Database automation drives DevOps into the persistence layer

A new breed of software tools is driving DevOps processes deep into the persistence layer, as database automation and continuous deployment come together. Continue Reading
Blog Post 03 Oct 2017

Three reasons to start digital transformation projects

What's driving businesses to start digital transformation projects? Tata Consultancy experts explain the human and technology forces in play. Continue Reading
Feature 09 Aug 2017

How Pandora built a better recommendation engine

Find out how Pandora developed an AI application for building a better recommendation engine that combines novelty and comfort. Continue Reading
Tip 09 Jun 2017

Improving plant production performance with IT in the agriculture industry

How is big data and IT helping the agriculture industry? By looking at information in new ways, technology is helping to improve plant production performance. Continue Reading
Blog Post 10 Mar 2017

Machine learning and big data experts gather at the Dallas Data Science Association Conference

For the second year in a row, experts gathered in Dallas to explore the world of machine learning and data science. Continue Reading
Feature 08 Mar 2017

Big data IoT projects shaping the future of trucking and shipping

You don't regularly associate IoT and big data with transports bearing down on the highway, but big data IoT projects are revolutionizing the trucking industry. Continue Reading
Feature 07 Mar 2017

Big data recognition technology the next frontier for machine learning

It's one thing to have big data, but it's another to be able to understand it. That's why big data recognition technology is so important to the world of machine learning. Continue Reading
Blog Post 26 Feb 2017

Addressing the challenges of modern day big data science

The Dallas Data Science Conference for 2017 focused on the three key areas of technology, innovation, and career for a large audience of students, industry professionals, and entrepreneurs. The ... Continue Reading
Feature 12 Jul 2016

Analyzing big data is big science at Change.org

For Change.org, managing big data and analyzing results is a big science problem that technology is helping to solve. Continue Reading
News 29 Jun 2016

Accelerate edge device development with Couchbase Mobile

TheServerSide talks to Couchbase's Arun Gupta about full-stack NoSQL applications, like Couchbase Mobile and Couchbase Server. Continue Reading
News 17 Jun 2016

Apache Spark streaming analytics engine key to integrating big data

Learn how a variety of improvements to the open source Apache Spark streaming analytics engine promises to improve the development of big data applications. Continue Reading
Tutorial 09 Jun 2016

Apache Drill case study: A tutorial on processing CSV files

Rob Terpilowski decided to take Apache Drill for a test drive and use it for processing CSV files. Here's a quick tutorial to show how you can do it to. Continue Reading
News 22 Apr 2016

How a data center improves car engineering

McLaren Automotive has highlighted that racecar engineering principles can innovate better software. More specifically, how a data center can help with that. Continue Reading
Feature 23 Mar 2016

Choosing the right big data analysis tools

In order to choose the right big data analysis tools, it’s important to understand the transactional and analytical data processing requirements of your systems and choose accordingly. Continue Reading
News 17 Mar 2016

Why NoSQL databases are getting replaced

NoSQL databases have gained popularity by solving problems at which relational databases fail. Now graphing engines are solving the problems that are too tough for NoSQL. Continue Reading
Feature 01 Dec 2015

How Notion Baked Intelligence Into the Server to Simplify the IoT

Here we take a look at how Notion, an IoT startup, built a sophisticated tier of server applications to empower a new generation of customizable sensors. Continue Reading
Feature 10 Nov 2015

How collapsing the database stack improves developer productivity

Developers are reducing development time by collapsing the database stack and focusing on customer satisfaction and not on operations overhead. Here is how they are doing it. Continue Reading
Tip 04 Aug 2015

NoSQL technology remains key to drawing BI from big data

Both business users and vendors are challenged with managing and using big data. Learn how NoSQL technology providers are meeting the challenge. Continue Reading
Feature 30 Jan 2015

Growing the demand for NoSQL technology, and non-relational solutions

While relational databases have been the stalwart of enterprise computing, more and more organizations are looking at NoSQL solutions that will free them from many of the constraints of a relational database system. Continue Reading
Feature 06 Jul 2014

The challenge of tagging for analytics in a world of unstructured text

Many organizations are managing massive amounts of information in their big data systems, but handling that inflow, and making it make sense is a massive challenge. Tagging is one solution, but how does one tag unstructured text? It's a problem that is slowly being solved. Continue Reading
Feature 23 Apr 2013

Big Data Hadoop solutions with Hive, Mahout, HBase and Cassandra

As Hadoop evolves, complimentary technologies such as Hive, Mahout, HBase and Cassandra are allowing software engineers get more and more out of commodity hardware. Continue Reading
Feature 10 Jan 2013

How NoSQL, MySQL and MongoDB worked together to solve a big-data problem

Choosing between schemaless NoSQL databases and strong-schema relational designs isn't an either-or decision, as this case study points out. When dealing with their big data problem, Craigslist decided that their MySQL servers could use a little help from MongoDB, and putting the two technologies together created a better system with greater availability, scalability and performance. Continue Reading
Feature 09 Jan 2013

The Craigslist Dilemma: A case study for big data and NoSQL solutions

It's hard to imagine just how many postings Craigslist has handled over the years, and if you were in charge of archiving those posts and storing them for compliance, you'd need a 'big data' solution. So how does Craigslist manage all of their data, both the incoming stuff and the stuff that needs archiving? It's a beautiful combination of MySQL, NoSQL and a little help from the people at 10Gen. Continue Reading
Feature 23 Aug 2012

How cloud computing is impacting enterprise Java developers

How do cloud computing technologies impact the day-to-day development patterns of typical Java developers? Continue Reading
Feature 31 May 2012

Why Java applications fail to scale linearly: A simple explanation

The process of scaling up Java applications often runs into the problem of diminishing returns, where adding another processor no longer adds significant benefit. Why won't Java programs scale? Here's your answer. Continue Reading
Tutorial 12 Jan 2012

New Java 7 Features: How to Use a More Precise Rethrow in Exceptions from Project Coin

Afficionados of other languages such as Scala or Clojure are always slagging the fact that Java is too verbose and cumbersome. So, it's not too surprising to find out that Java 7 introduced a number of new facilities that can help to trim down the code an application developer is required to write. Continue Reading
Tutorial 15 Dec 2011

New Java 7 Features: Binary Notation and Literal Variable Initialization

Now with Java 7, you can not only use standard decimal notation, or the beloved hex notation, but you can use binary notation as well. Here's a good look at the ins and outs of binary notation, with a focus on what you'll need to know in order to pass the Java Professional certification exam from Oracle. Continue Reading
Tip 17 Aug 2011

Spring Ehcache integration (Second-level caching in Hibernate)

Integrating Ehcache with Spring-based applications is actually fairly easy. Let's look at this integration with a sample BuddyManagement application. Continue Reading
Feature 09 Aug 2011

Managed File Transfer in Enterprise Java Applications

In an SOA world, bulk data transfer occurs largely by way of file transfer. "Multiple studies show that around 80% of business-to-business traffic consists of files," says Jonathan Lampe of File Transfer Consulting, a vendor-neutral consultancy focused solely on file transfer issues. Continue Reading
Feature 27 Jul 2011

Say No To The Cloud? There Are Reasons Why

The extensively use of IT systems by business users to increase productivity and bring down cots of operations has lead to building and maintaining substantial IT infrastructure. Managing the complex IT systems require high capital cost, expensive IT manpower with high attrition rate, security, and maintenance. Continue Reading
News 01 May 2009

Remote Lazy Loading in Hibernate

Lazy loading in Hibernate means fetching and loading the data, only when it is needed, from a persistent storage like a database. Lazy loading improves the performance of data fetching and significantly reduces the memory footprint. Continue Reading
News 01 Nov 2008

Inside db40

db4o, database for objects, is a true object database; it manipulates objects in such a fashion that those objects retain their nature throughout their lifetimes - in or out of the database. Object content, structure, and relationships are preserved, regardless of class complexity. Continue Reading
News 01 Sep 2007

Defining Your Object Model with JPA

In the perfect world, your object model would map seamlessly to your database schema. Most organizations however, have database naming standards, requirements for how relationships are modeled and columns that all tables must have. Continue Reading
News 01 Aug 2007

Manage test data for integration tests using Spring and DBunit

This article will look at configuring integration tests using Spring and DBUnit so that test data is inserted into the database before every test. This article also looks at a utility to export/import test data in the database using DBunit. Continue Reading
News 01 Sep 2006

Hibernate 3.1 Used with Tomcat 5.5.x

There have been a number of changes in Tomcat configuration as the Tomcat version advanced from Tomcat 5.0 through version 5.5.x. These changes have affected Tomcat JNDI setup, which in turn has affected Hibernate, assuming you wish your Hibernate installation to take advantage of the DataSource facility made available from Tomcat JNDI. Continue Reading
News 01 Aug 2006

Binding XML to Java

Manipulating XML data easily and efficiently in Java remains an important problem. Numerous approaches to XML binding exist in the industry, including DOM, JAXB, XML Beans, Castor, SDO and so on. In this article we will explore how the Eclipse Modeling Framework, EMF, solves the XML binding problem in a number of interesting ways, and we'll compare that to the alternatives. Continue Reading
News 01 Apr 2005

Taking the load off: OSCache helps databases cope

Do you think that you can solve your J2EE performance problems by just adding more application servers? One caches is the Open Source product, OSCache. It may not be the best solution in all cases but, as a maintainer of OSCache, it is the one I will be reviewing. Continue Reading
News 01 Mar 2005

Hibernate vs. Rails: The Persistence Showdown

Of particular interest is ORM (Object Relational Mapping) tool, ActiveRecord. Since choosing a technology always involves opportunity costs of some kind, I have written this article to compare and contrast with another popular ORM tool, Hibernate. It summarizes what I've learned about Rails, mainly by stacking it up against Hibernate. Continue Reading
News 16 Aug 2004

Using a BLOB data type in a CMP Enity Bean

I got an email from a customer who wanted to use BLOB data type in their CMP entity bean. In this blog, I will provide an example and will discuss how can you develop your CMP EJBs to use a BLOB database type. Continue Reading
News 15 Jun 2004

Dynamic Coupling

Loose coupling has more up-front costs than tight coupling. The assumption is that the loose coupling device will pay for itself. Continue Reading
News 01 Apr 2004

Using Database MetaData methods appropriately

Developing performance-oriented JDBC applications is not easy. JDBC drivers do not throw exceptions to tell you when your code is running too slow. Continue Reading
News 01 Sep 2003

SQLExecutor - A Simple, Open Source JDBC Framework

Writing succinct and elegant JDBC code can be difficult. You have to create a few different objects and catch numerous checked exceptions, even if you can't reasonably recover from them. Continue Reading
News 01 Feb 2003

Simplifying Domain Model Persistence in a J2EE application by using JDO

This article describes how using Java Data Objects (JDO) [JDO] can avoid these problems and accelerate development. Continue Reading
News 01 Jan 2000

Why Prepared Statements are important and how to use them "properly"

Processing statements can be an expensive operation but databases are now written in such a way so that this overhead is minimized. However, these optimizations need assistance from the application developers if we are to capitalize on them. This article shows you how the correct use of Prepared Statements can significantly help a database perform these optimizations. Continue Reading
News 01 Jan 2000

Implementing a Data Cache using Readers And Writers

You may have come across a situation where you need to cache some data in your server. You then use this cache to service queries from incoming requests. You will also probably have a thread that listens for cache update events. This thread updates the cache in response to these events. Continue Reading