How to Fix the Cannot load driver class: org.h2.Driver Error in Spring Boot Tests

Discover solutions for resolving the `Cannot load driver class: org.h2.Driver` error in your Spring Boot application tests. Simplified steps to troubleshoot your database connectivity issues with H2. --- This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/68392984/ asked by the user 'Nuñito Calzada' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/4450024/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/68394060/ provided by the user 'Akshay Tomar' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/16433588/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions. Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: SpringBoot test - Cannot load driver class: org.h2.Driver Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l... The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license. If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com. --- Understanding the Cannot load driver class: org.h2.Driver Error in Spring Boot If you're working with Spring Boot and H2 database, you may encounter the error message: Cannot load driver class: org.h2.Driver when attempting to run tests. This frustrating issue can halt your development process and leave you scratching your head. In this guide, we'll explore the problem and how to effectively resolve this error to get your application back on track. The Issue Explained In your Spring Boot application, you might have noticed the following configuration in your test class: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] You also have your application.properties configured to utilize H2 as the in-memory database: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] However, when you run your tests, you encounter the following error: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] This indicates that Spring Boot is struggling to find the H2 driver class, which is essential for establishing a connection to the database during your tests. Solution: Updating Dependency Scope The root cause of this error often lies in the way H2 is set up in your pom.xml file. Specifically, if your H2 dependency is set to a test scope, it might not be available during runtime when Spring Boot tries to load it. Steps to Fix the Error Update the pom.xml: Modify your H2 dependency in the pom.xml to change its scope from test to runtime. This adjustment ensures that the driver class is accessible during the application and test runtime. Here’s how you should update the dependency: [[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]] Rebuild Your Project: After making this change, be sure to rebuild your project so that the changes take effect. You can do this using your IDE or by running a build command through your terminal. Rerun Your Tests: With the updated dependency, try rerunning your tests. The error regarding the org.h2.Driver class should no longer appear, and your tests should execute successfully. Conclusion Resolving the Cannot load driver class: org.h2.Driver error in your Spring Boot tests is typically a straightforward fix by adjusting the dependency scope in your pom.xml. By ensuring the H2 database driver is available during runtime, you can smoothly connect to the in-memory database and carry on with your testing without interruptions. Don't let this common error slow you down – implement the solution today, and get back to building your application with confidence!