How to Fix UTF-8 Encoding Issues when Using Java and MySQL?

UTF-8 Encoding Issue with Java and MySQL

When working with Java and MySQL, it's essential to ensure proper UTF-8 encoding to avoid character storage issues. Here's how to resolve a common problem where special characters are stored as question marks in the database:

Problem:

Using the createStatement method and executing SQL queries involving special characters results in characters being stored as question marks. For example, extended characters like "מסירות קצרות" may appear as "???????".

Answer:

The issue originates from missing Unicode and character encoding parameters when establishing the connection with MySQL. To resolve this, add the following parameters when creating the connection:

<code class="java">con = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:mysql:///dbname?useUnicode=true&characterEncoding=utf-8", "user", "pass");</code>

This ensures that the connection uses Unicode encoding and the specified charset (in this case, UTF-8) for character representation. By setting these parameters, MySQL can correctly handle and store special characters.

Additional Tips:

• Verify that the database, tables, and columns are created with the correct character set, such as UTF8_UNICODE_CI.
• Consider using prepared statements (PreparedStatement) instead of direct SQL execution to avoid potential encoding issues.
• Double-check the input data to ensure it uses the desired encoding.
• If the problem persists, check for any character set or encoding-related settings in your Java application's configuration.

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