Can't connect to Postgresql database in Spring Boot

Question

I'm trying to connect to a postgres database from my Spring Boot application but am having trouble doing so. This is the exception trace I am seeing:

org.springframework.beans.factory.UnsatisfiedDependencyException: Error creating bean with name 'org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.orm.jpa.HibernateJpaAutoConfiguration': Unsatisfied dependency expressed through constructor parameter 0; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in class path resource [org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/jdbc/DataSourceConfiguration$Tomcat.class]: Bean instantiation via factory method failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [org.apache.tomcat.jdbc.pool.DataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot load driver class: org.postgresql.jdbc.Driver
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.createArgumentArray(ConstructorResolver.java:749) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.autowireConstructor(ConstructorResolver.java:189) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.autowireConstructor(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1193) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1095) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:513) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:483) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:306) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:302) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:197) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:372) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1173) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1067) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:513) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:483) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:306) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:302) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:197) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.getBean(AbstractApplicationContext.java:1081) ~[spring-context-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:856) ~[spring-context-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:542) ~[spring-context-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.context.embedded.EmbeddedWebApplicationContext.refresh(EmbeddedWebApplicationContext.java:122) ~[spring-boot-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:737) [spring-boot-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refreshContext(SpringApplication.java:370) [spring-boot-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:314) [spring-boot-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1162) [spring-boot-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1151) [spring-boot-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at com.ion.CourseApplication.main(CourseApplication.java:14) [classes/:na]
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in class path resource [org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/jdbc/DataSourceConfiguration$Tomcat.class]: Bean instantiation via factory method failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [org.apache.tomcat.jdbc.pool.DataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot load driver class: org.postgresql.jdbc.Driver
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:599) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1173) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1067) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:513) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:483) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:306) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:302) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:202) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.config.DependencyDescriptor.resolveCandidate(DependencyDescriptor.java:208) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1138) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1066) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.resolveAutowiredArgument(ConstructorResolver.java:835) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.createArgumentArray(ConstructorResolver.java:741) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    ... 28 common frames omitted
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [org.apache.tomcat.jdbc.pool.DataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot load driver class: org.postgresql.jdbc.Driver
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:189) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:588) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    ... 41 common frames omitted
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot load driver class: org.postgresql.jdbc.Driver
    at org.springframework.util.Assert.state(Assert.java:70) ~[spring-core-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceProperties.determineDriverClassName(DataSourceProperties.java:231) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceProperties.initializeDataSourceBuilder(DataSourceProperties.java:183) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceConfiguration.createDataSource(DataSourceConfiguration.java:42) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceConfiguration$Tomcat.dataSource(DataSourceConfiguration.java:56) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.5.3.RELEASE.jar:1.5.3.RELEASE]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_131]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62) ~[na:1.8.0_131]
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) ~[na:1.8.0_131]
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498) ~[na:1.8.0_131]
    at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:162) ~[spring-beans-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    ... 42 common frames omitted

My application.yml looks like:

spring:
  datasource:
    driverClassName: org.postgresql.jdbc.Driver
    url: jdbc:postgresql://<server_addr>/<db_name>
    username: postgres
    password: <pwd>

And I have the following dependency in my pom.xml :

<dependency>
  <groupId>org.postgresql</groupId>
  <artifactId>postgresql</artifactId>
  <version>9.4-1206-jdbc42</version>
</dependency>

I have searched for this issue on Stackoverflow but as far as I can tell, I am doing all the required steps. Can anyone help?

Answer 1

The driver classname is not correct. I just checked the version you're using (which is also wildly out-of-date) - it doesn't even contain "org.postgresql.jdbc" as a package.

The driver classname should be:

org.postgresql.Driver

Since most jar files are simple ZIP files, you can always manually unzip the jar and manually examin what's inside (most IDEs will do that for you). With errors such as this ("Cannot load class" or "Class not found") this can help to determine wether the class is there or not. In your case, it's not.