Book excerpt: JSP developers encounter unique problems when building web applications that require intense database connectivity. MySQL and JSP Web Applications addresses the challenges of building data-driven applications based on the JavaServer Pages development model. MySQL and JSP Web Applications begins with an overview of the core technologies required for JSP database development--JavaServer Pages, JDBC, and the database schema. The book then outlines and presents an Internet commerce application that demonstrates concepts such as receiving and processing user input, designing and implementing business rules, and balancing the user load on the server. Through the JDBC (Java DataBase Connector), the developer can communicate with most commercial databases, such as Oracle. The solutions presented in MySQL and JSP Web Applications center on the open source tools MySQL and Tomcat, allowing the reader an affordable way to test applications and experiment with the book's examples.