Updating the MySQL JDBC Driver

ColdFusion
1

Updating the MySQL JDBC Driver on Adobe ColdFusion

This guide explains how to update the MySQL JDBC driver (mysql-connector-j) for a typical Adobe ColdFusion installation.

Example ColdFusion installation path

C:\ColdFusion[version]\cfusion

Driver location

C:\ColdFusion[version]\cfusion\lib

Prerequisites

  • Access to the ColdFusion server
  • Maintenance window (recommended)
  • Backup of the existing JDBC driver
  • New MySQL Connector/J driver downloaded from Oracle

Version Compatibility Considerations

ColdFusion Version

Older ColdFusion releases may ship with older Java runtimes, which can limit the versions of Connector/J that are supported.

Always verify that the Connector/J version supports the Java version used by your ColdFusion installation.

MySQL Server Compatibility

Connector/J versions generally support multiple MySQL server versions, but newer drivers may deprecate support for very old MySQL releases.

If connecting to older MySQL servers, thoroughly test before deploying a major Connector/J upgrade.

Step 1: Determine the Current JDBC Driver Version

There are several ways to identify the currently installed driver:

  • Check the filename in:
C:\ColdFusion[version]\cfusion\lib

Example:

mysql-connector-j-8.0.33.jar

or

mysql-connector-java-5.1.49.jar

You can also review the datasource in the ColdFusion Administrator to verify the driver class being used.

Step 2: Download the New Driver

Download the appropriate version of MySQL Connector/J from Oracle.

Typical filename:

mysql-connector-j-8.4.x.jar

Step 3: Stop ColdFusion

Stop the ColdFusion Application Server.

Windows Services:

Adobe ColdFusion [version] Application Server

Verify that the ColdFusion process has completely stopped before continuing.

Step 4: Backup the Existing Driver

If you haven’t already navigate to:

C:\ColdFusion[version]\cfusion\lib

Rename or move the existing driver.

Example:

mysql-connector-j-8.0.33.jar

↓

mysql-connector-j-8.0.33.jar.bak

Keeping the old driver allows an easy rollback if you encounter any issues with the new JDBC driver.

Step 5: Copy the New JDBC Driver

Copy the new JDBC .jar into:

C:\ColdFusion[version]\cfusion\lib

Ensure that only one active version of the MySQL Connector/J driver exists in this directory whenever possible. Having multiple MySQL Connector/J versions on the classpath can lead to unpredictable class loading behavior.

Step 6: Start ColdFusion

Start the Windows ColdFusion service.

Step 7: Verify Datasource Connectivity

Open the ColdFusion Administrator and verify that your MySQL datasource connections are still working.

Step 8: Test Applications

Verify that applications using MySQL can:

  • Connect successfully
  • Execute queries
  • Perform inserts/updates
  • Use transactions
  • Access connection pooling normally

Review:

  • ColdFusion logs
  • Application logs

For any JDBC-related errors. Such as suddenly failing query tags, timeouts, etc.