Could not load JDBC driver class [com.mysql.jdbc.Driver]

So, this is my project structure:

Inside cats-application I have CatsDAO class where I am trying to @Autowire DataSource object:

import javax.sql.DataSource; @Repository public class CatsDAO { @Autowired private DataSource dataSource; public Cat getCat(String name) { String sql = "SELECT * FROM cats WHERE name = ?"; Connection conn = null; try { ... } catch (SQLException e) { throw new RuntimeException(e); } finally { ... } } } 

And this is my applicationContext.xml in cats-webapp:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <beans xmlns="" xmlns:xsi="" xmlns:context="" xmlns:mvc="" xsi:schemaLocation=" "> <context:component-scan base-package="ninja.majewski"/> <context:annotation-config/> <mvc:annotation-driven/> <bean> <property name="prefix" value="/WEB-INF/views/"/> <property name="suffix" value=".jsp"/> </bean> <bean> <property name="driverClassName" value="com.mysql.jdbc.Driver"/> <property name="url" value="jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/cats"/> <property name="username" value="root"/> <property name="password" value=""/> </bean> </beans> 

And this is my cats-application pom.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <project xmlns="" xmlns:xsi="" xsi:schemaLocation=" "> <parent> <artifactId>cats</artifactId> <groupId>ninja.majewski</groupId> <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version> </parent> <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion> <artifactId>cats-application</artifactId> <dependencies> <dependency> <groupId>ninja.majewski</groupId> <artifactId>cats-domain</artifactId> <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version> </dependency> <dependency> <groupId>org.springframework</groupId> <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId> <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version> </dependency> <dependency> <groupId>mysql</groupId> <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId> <version>6.0.2</version> </dependency> </dependencies> <build> <plugins> <plugin> <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId> <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId> <version>3.5.1</version> <configuration> <source>1.8</source> <target>1.8</target> </configuration> </plugin> </plugins> </build> </project> 

And my cats-webapp pom.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <project xmlns="" xmlns:xsi="" xsi:schemaLocation=" "> <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion> <groupId>groupId</groupId> <artifactId>cats-webapp</artifactId> <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version> <dependencies> <dependency> <groupId>ninja.majewski</groupId> <artifactId>cats-application</artifactId> <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version> </dependency> <dependency> <groupId>org.springframework</groupId> <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId> <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version> </dependency> <dependency> <groupId>jstl</groupId> <artifactId>jstl</artifactId> <version>1.2</version> </dependency> <dependency> <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId> <artifactId>hibernate-validator</artifactId> <version>5.2.4.Final</version> </dependency> </dependencies> <build> <plugins> <plugin> <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId> <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId> <version>3.5.1</version> <configuration> <source>1.8</source> <target>1.8</target> </configuration> </plugin> </plugins> </build> </project> 

But when I try to run this on server I get this exception:

org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'catsDAO': Injection of autowired dependencies failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Could not autowire field: private javax.sql.DataSource ninja.majewski.cats.CatsDAO.dataSource; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in ServletContext resource [/WEB-INF/applicationContext.xml]: Error setting property values; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.PropertyBatchUpdateException; nested PropertyAccessExceptions (1) are: PropertyAccessException 1: org.springframework.beans.MethodInvocationException: Property 'driverClassName' threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: Could not load JDBC driver class [com.mysql.jdbc.Driver] at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:334) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1214) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:543) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:482) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:306) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:302) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:197) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:772) at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:839) at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:538) at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:444) at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.initWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:326) at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextInitialized(ContextLoaderListener.java:107) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4994) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5492) at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChildInternal(ContainerBase.java:901) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChild(ContainerBase.java:877) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.addChild(StandardHost.java:649) at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.manageApp(HostConfig.java:1762) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:497) at org.apache.tomcat.util.modeler.BaseModelMBean.invoke(BaseModelMBean.java:301) at com.sun.jmx.interceptor.DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.invoke(DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.java:819) at com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer.invoke(JmxMBeanServer.java:801) at org.apache.catalina.mbeans.MBeanFactory.createStandardContext(MBeanFactory.java:618) at org.apache.catalina.mbeans.MBeanFactory.createStandardContext(MBeanFactory.java:565) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:497) at org.apache.tomcat.util.modeler.BaseModelMBean.invoke(BaseModelMBean.java:301) at com.sun.jmx.interceptor.DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.invoke(DefaultMBeanServerInterceptor.java:819) at com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer.invoke(JmxMBeanServer.java:801) at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.doOperation(RMIConnectionImpl.java:1468) at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.access$300(RMIConnectionImpl.java:76) at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl$PrivilegedOperation.run(RMIConnectionImpl.java:1309) at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.doPrivilegedOperation(RMIConnectionImpl.java:1401) at javax.management.remote.rmi.RMIConnectionImpl.invoke(RMIConnectionImpl.java:829) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:497) at sun.rmi.server.UnicastServerRef.dispatch(UnicastServerRef.java:323) at sun.rmi.transport.Transport$1.run(Transport.java:200) at sun.rmi.transport.Transport$1.run(Transport.java:197) at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) at sun.rmi.transport.Transport.serviceCall(Transport.java:196) at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport.handleMessages(TCPTransport.java:568) at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport$ConnectionHandler.run0(TCPTransport.java:826) at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport$ConnectionHandler.lambda$run$256(TCPTransport.java:683) at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport$ConnectionHandler.run(TCPTransport.java:682) at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142) at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617) at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745) Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Could not autowire field: private javax.sql.DataSource ninja.majewski.cats.CatsDAO.dataSource; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in ServletContext resource [/WEB-INF/applicationContext.xml]: Error setting property values; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.PropertyBatchUpdateException; nested PropertyAccessExceptions (1) are: PropertyAccessException 1: org.springframework.beans.MethodInvocationException: Property 'driverClassName' threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: Could not load JDBC driver class [com.mysql.jdbc.Driver] at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:573) at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.InjectionMetadata.inject(InjectionMetadata.java:88) at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.postProcessPropertyValues(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:331) ... 58 more Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in ServletContext resource [/WEB-INF/applicationContext.xml]: Error setting property values; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.PropertyBatchUpdateException; nested PropertyAccessExceptions (1) are: PropertyAccessException 1: org.springframework.beans.MethodInvocationException: Property 'driverClassName' threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: Could not load JDBC driver class [com.mysql.jdbc.Driver] at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1518) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1226) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:543) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:482) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:306) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:302) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:197) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.findAutowireCandidates(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1192) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1116) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1014) at org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor$AutowiredFieldElement.inject(AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor.java:545) ... 60 more Caused by: org.springframework.beans.PropertyBatchUpdateException; nested PropertyAccessExceptions (1) are: PropertyAccessException 1: org.springframework.beans.MethodInvocationException: Property 'driverClassName' threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: Could not load JDBC driver class [com.mysql.jdbc.Driver] at org.springframework.beans.AbstractPropertyAccessor.setPropertyValues(AbstractPropertyAccessor.java:121) at org.springframework.beans.AbstractPropertyAccessor.setPropertyValues(AbstractPropertyAccessor.java:75) at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1514) ... 71 more 

What am I missing here?

6 Answers

You probably skipped some dependencies:

<dependency> <groupId>mysql</groupId> <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId> <version>5.1.6</version> </dependency> 

I had the same issue. I followed these steps in IntelliJ editor.

Steps

1. Click File and click on the "Project Structure" menu item.
2. Click "Artifacts" from the left navigation bar.
3. Select all libraries from the "Available Elements" list.
4. Right click and click "Put into WEB-INF/lib button.
5. Click Apply and OK buttons.
6. Redeploy the Project.

Copied from How to solve Spring ClassNotFoundException in IntelliJ (Java)? video.

Resolved the issue after degrading version of JDBC SQL connector from 5.1.6 to 5.1.31.

You need to add mysql-connector-java jar file.

Add it to your build path or to your pom.xml.

Hope it helps.. :)

Check your pom.xml or lib directory for the mysql-connector-java.jar.

you can append below code snippet in you pom.xm

 <dependency> <groupId>mysql</groupId> <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId> <version>5.1.6</version> </dependency> 

In my case was extra whitespace character in application.properties after "com.mysql.jdbc.Driver".

Using .xml definition for dataSource (as in OP example) adds more visibility for such case.