What is the difference between execute, executeQuery, and executeUpdate methods in JDBC?

What is the difference between execute, executeQuery, and executeUpdate methods in JDBC?

When working with JDBC, it's important to understand the differences between the execute, executeQuery, and executeUpdate methods:

1. execute: The execute method can be used to execute any type of SQL statement, whether it is a DDL (Data Definition Language) statement, DML (Data Manipulation Language) statement, or DQL (Data Query Language) statement. It returns a boolean value indicating if the execution was successful or not.
2. executeQuery: The executeQuery method is specifically used to execute DQL (Data Query Language) statements, such as SELECT queries, which retrieve data from the database. It returns a ResultSet object containing the result set of the query.
3. executeUpdate: The executeUpdate method is used to execute DML (Data Manipulation Language) statements, such as INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, or MERGE queries, which modify data in the database. It returns an integer value indicating the number of rows affected by the query.

By understanding the differences between these methods, you can effectively execute the appropriate type of SQL statement in your JDBC application.