Java Program to Delete a Column in a Table Using JDBC

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025

Before deleting a column in a table, first is need to connect the java application to the database. Java has its own API which JDBC API which uses JDBC drivers for database connections. Before JDBC, ODBC API was used but it was written in C which means it was platform-dependent. JDBC API provides the applications to JDBC connection and JDBC driver provides manager to driver connection.

Algorithm: Always remember these 7 thumb golden steps to deal with JDBC in order to deal with the database and between App(Main) class and connection class of it.

Importing the database
Registering the Java class
Establishing a connection
Creating a statement
Executing the query
Process the results
Closing connection

Procedure: to delete a column in a table from the database created using JDBC is as follows:

Step 1: Loading “mysqlconnector.jar” in the program.

Step 2: Creating a database and adding a table with records

Using MySQL
- 'cmd' Driver
- DriverManager()
- Connection()
- Statement()
- Resultset() which the classes provided by JDBC API
Further 5 steps are demonstrated in the java program. (App class or Main class) of the Connection class.

Implementation: Java program using JDBC to delete a Column in a Table

Java

// Java program using  JDBC to
// Delete a Column in a Table

// Step 1: Importing database files
import java.sql.*;

public class GFG {

    // URL that points to mysql database
    // DB stands for database
    static final String url
        = "jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/db";

    // Main driver method
    public static void main(String[] args) throws ClassNotFoundException
    {

        // Try block to check exceptions
        try {

            // Step 2: Load and Register drivers

            // Class.forName() method is user for
            // driver registration with name of the driver
            // as argument that used MySQL driver
            Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver");

            // Step 3: Create a connection

            // getConnection() establishes a connection
            // It takes url that points to your database
            // username and password of MySQL connections as
            // arguments
            Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(
                url, "root", "1234");

            // create.Statement() creates statement object
            // which is responsible for executing queries on
            // table
            Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();

            // Executing the query student is the table
            // name & address is column

            // Step 4: Create a statement
            String query
                = "ALTER TABLE student Drop address";

            // Step 5: Execute the query

            // executeUpdate() returns number of rows
            // affected by the execution of the statement
            int result = stmt.executeUpdate(query);

            // Step 6: Process the results

            // if result is greater than 0
            // it means values has been added
            if (result > 0)
                System.out.println(
                    "A column from the table is deleted.");
            else
                System.out.println("unsuccessful deletion ");

            // Step 7: Closing connection
            conn.close();
        }

        // Catch block to handle exceptions
        catch (SQLException e) {

            // Print the exception
            System.out.println(e);
        }
    }
}