# Specifying a JDBC Driver

QuantumDB uses standard JDBC Drivers to access databases. The first step in setting up a database bookmark is, therefore, selecting a JDBC Driver.

The first time you try to configure a bookmark, QuantumDB will already recognize one driver: the standard JDBC-ODBC driver provided with the Java Runtime Environment. For some people, this will be sufficient to access databases, but most people will probably choose to set up additional drivers.

Select the "Add Driver..." button to choose an alternate driver.

Provide the details for the new driver. Most drivers require at least one .jar file. Specify the location of the .jar file(s), and the driver class name. Note that once you specify the .jar locations, you can use the "Browse..." button beside the class name field to select valid driver class names.

Finally, the Add Driver Wizard asks for a database type. If you're setting up a fairly standard driver (such as, for example, the standard Oracle or DB2 driver), QuantumDB will probably recognize the driver class name and select the appropriate driver from the list. Otherwise, choose the corresponding database type or, if your database type isn't listed, select "Generic JDBC".

The database type helps QuantumDB provide defaults for later parts of the bookmark set-up process, and also tells the plugin how to support some of the non-standard database features (such as sequences).