# JDBC applications and Derby basics

This section describes the core Derby functionality. In addition, it details the most basic Derby deployment, Derby embedded in a Java application.

Attention: Derby Version 10.2 includes JDBC 4.0 functionality based on a pre-release of Java SE 6. When you use Derby with a Java SE 6 virtual machine, Derby will use its JDBC 3.0 drivers, just as with 1.4 and 1.5 virtual machines. JDBC 4.0 is available only to developers who download Java SE 6 and use it to build in support for JDBC 4.0. The Release Notes explain how to build the JDBC 4.0 functionality with Derby Version 10.2. A follow-on Derby release will include JDBC 4.0 functionality based on the final JDBC 4.0 specification once Java SE 6 becomes generally available.

- Application development overview
  Derby application developers use JDBC, the application programming interface that makes it possible to access relational databases from Java programs.
- Derby embedded basics
  This section discusses the basics of the Derby database.