Download Access JDBC Driver
What Is a JDBC Driver?
A JDBC driver is a Java library file (.jar) that enables Java applications — including DbSchema — to communicate with a database over a standard API. The driver translates generic JDBC calls into the network protocol understood by Access, so you never have to write low-level socket code. Drivers are typically distributed by the database vendor or as open-source projects.
Understanding the JDBC URL
Every JDBC driver identifies the target database through a connection URL. The URL encodes the hostname, port, database name, and any driver-specific parameters as a single string. The exact syntax varies per driver — the details for Access are listed in the section below.
Download the Access JDBC Driver
Microsoft Access is a desktop relational database management system included in Microsoft Office, widely used for small business databases, data entry forms, and local data management. The UCanAccess JDBC driver provides read/write access to .mdb and .accdb files from Java applications.
Microsoft Access JDBC Driver Details
- Required File(s): ucanaccess-xxx.jar plus commons-lang, commons-logging, hsqldb (bundled in the zip)
- Java Driver Class: net.ucanaccess.jdbc.UcanaccessDriver
- JDBC URL: jdbc:ucanaccess://PATH_TO_MDB_FILE
- Website: UCanAccess
The driver archive is a zip file. Extract it and load all the .jar files using DbSchema's Driver Manager. The JDBC source code is located on http://ucanaccess.sourceforge.net/
DbSchema and Microsoft Access
DbSchema connects to Access .mdb and .accdb files using the UCanAccess driver, rendering tables, relationships, and queries as a visual schema diagram. This is especially useful for migrating Access databases to a server-based RDBMS like MySQL or PostgreSQL using DbSchema's Schema Synchronization.
Have connection issues? Contact the DbSchema team for help.
Explore Access Visually with DbSchema
Once the JDBC driver is configured, DbSchema connects to your Access database and gives you a full graphical workbench — no command-line required. Available as a free Community Edition and a full-featured PRO Edition. No registration needed to get started.
Interactive ER Diagrams
Reverse-engineer your Access schema into a drag-and-drop ER diagram. Arrange tables visually, add new columns, define foreign keys, and let DbSchema generate the DDL — all without writing SQL by hand.
Visual Query Builder
Compose Access queries by clicking on tables and columns — no SQL knowledge required. Add joins, filters, groupings, and aggregations through a point-and-click interface, then copy the generated SQL or run it directly against the live database.
Relational Data Explorer
Browse Access table data and follow foreign key relationships across tables in a single view. Edit cells inline, filter rows, and paginate through large datasets — all without leaving the explorer.
Schema Synchronization
Compare your Access schema across development, staging, and production environments. DbSchema generates the exact ALTER statements needed to close the gap and lets you review every change before executing — reducing the risk of unintended schema drift.
SQL Editor
Write and execute Access queries in the integrated SQL editor with schema-aware autocomplete, syntax highlighting, and instant result display. Run scripts, inspect execution plans, and export results to CSV or JSON from a single interface.
HTML Schema Documentation
Generate a static HTML site documenting every table, column, type, index, and relationship in your Access schema. Share it with your team or embed it in your project wiki — no extra tooling required.
For the full feature list and edition comparison, visit the DbSchema PRO Edition page.