How to get all table names from a database using JDBC?

You can get the list of tables in the current database in MySQL using the SHOW TABLES query.

Show tables;

Following JDBC program retrieves the list of tables in the database by executing the show tables query.

Example

import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.DriverManager;
import java.sql.ResultSet;
import java.sql.Statement;
public class ListingTables {
   public static void main(String args[]) throws Exception {
      //Registering the Driver
      DriverManager.registerDriver(new com.mysql.jdbc.Driver());
      //Getting the connection
      String mysqlUrl = "jdbc:mysql://localhost/mydatabase";
      Connection con = DriverManager.getConnection(mysqlUrl, "root", "password");
      System.out.println("Connection established......");
      //Creating a Statement object
      Statement stmt = con.createStatement();
      //Retrieving the data
      ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery("Show tables");
      System.out.println("Tables in the current database: ");
      while(rs.next()) {
         System.out.print(rs.getString(1));
         System.out.println();
      }
   }
}

Output

Connection established......
cricketers_data
customers
dispatches_data
employee_data
myplayers
sales
test
tutorials_data

Or, You can use the getTables() method of the DatabaseMetaData interface.

Example

import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.DatabaseMetaData;
import java.sql.DriverManager;
import java.sql.ResultSet;
import java.sql.Statement;
public class RS_getTables {
   public static void main(String args[]) throws Exception {
      //Registering the Driver
      DriverManager.registerDriver(new com.mysql.jdbc.Driver());
      //Getting the connection
      String mysqlUrl = "jdbc:mysql://localhost/mydatabase";
      Connection con = DriverManager.getConnection(mysqlUrl, "root", "password");
      System.out.println("Connection established......");
      //Retrieving the meta data object
      DatabaseMetaData metaData = con.getMetaData();
      String[] types = {"TABLE"};
      //Retrieving the columns in the database
      ResultSet tables = metaData.getTables(null, null, "%", types);
      while (tables.next()) {
         System.out.println(tables.getString("TABLE_NAME"));
      }
   }
}

Output

Connection established......
cricketers_data
customers
dispatches_data
employee_data
myplayers
sales
test
tutorials_data