title: How to let Hibernate create tables in database automatically when used with JPA?
body: <p>I am new to JPA, And for now I am trying to understand standard examples, I was reading online and saw a few stackoverflow questions, What I found in all of them is the following statement will allow hibernate to create tables at run-time.</p>
  
  <pre><code>hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto=create
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But Whenever I run my code without tables in mysql database, it throws the following error :</p>
  
  <pre><code>  .   ____          _            __ _ _
   /\\ / ___'_ __ _ _(_)_ __  __ _ \ \ \ \
  ( ( )\___ | '_ | '_| | '_ \/ _` | \ \ \ \
   \\/  ___)| |_)| | | | | || (_| |  ) ) ) )
    '  |____| .__|_| |_|_| |_\__, | / / / /
   =========|_|==============|___/=/_/_/_/
   :: Spring Boot ::        (v1.1.4.RELEASE)
  
  2014-07-24 09:44:25.365  INFO 8496 --- [           main] o.s.d.j.e.r.simple.SimpleConfiguration   : Starting SimpleConfiguration on harmathu-WS with PID 8496 (C:\Songs\spring-data-jpa-examples\spring-data-jpa-example\target\classes started by harmathu in C:\Songs\spring-data-jpa-examples\spring-data-jpa-example)
  2014-07-24 09:44:25.421  INFO 8496 --- [           main] s.c.a.AnnotationConfigApplicationContext : Refreshing org.springframework.context.annotation.AnnotationConfigApplicationContext@429bd883: startup date [Thu Jul 24 09:44:25 IST 2014]; root of context hierarchy
  2014-07-24 09:44:26.722  INFO 8496 --- [           main] j.LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean : Building JPA container EntityManagerFactory for persistence unit 'default'
  2014-07-24 09:44:26.747  INFO 8496 --- [           main] o.hibernate.jpa.internal.util.LogHelper  : HHH000204: Processing PersistenceUnitInfo [
      name: default
      ...]
  2014-07-24 09:44:26.831  INFO 8496 --- [           main] org.hibernate.Version                    : HHH000412: Hibernate Core {4.3.5.Final}
  2014-07-24 09:44:26.834  INFO 8496 --- [           main] org.hibernate.cfg.Environment            : HHH000206: hibernate.properties not found
  2014-07-24 09:44:26.836  INFO 8496 --- [           main] org.hibernate.cfg.Environment            : HHH000021: Bytecode provider name : javassist
  2014-07-24 09:44:27.172  INFO 8496 --- [           main] o.hibernate.annotations.common.Version   : HCANN000001: Hibernate Commons Annotations {4.0.4.Final}
  2014-07-24 09:44:27.390  INFO 8496 --- [           main] org.hibernate.dialect.Dialect            : HHH000400: Using dialect: org.hibernate.dialect.MySQL5Dialect
  2014-07-24 09:44:27.571  INFO 8496 --- [           main] o.h.h.i.ast.ASTQueryTranslatorFactory    : HHH000397: Using ASTQueryTranslatorFactory
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.392  WARN 8496 --- [           main] o.h.hql.internal.ast.HqlSqlWalker        : [DEPRECATION] Encountered positional parameter near line 1, column 97.  Positional parameter are considered deprecated; use named parameters or JPA-style positional parameters instead.
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.567  INFO 8496 --- [           main] o.s.j.e.a.AnnotationMBeanExporter        : Registering beans for JMX exposure on startup
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.591  INFO 8496 --- [           main] o.s.d.j.e.r.simple.SimpleConfiguration   : Started SimpleConfiguration in 3.611 seconds (JVM running for 4.607)
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.658  WARN 8496 --- [           main] o.h.engine.jdbc.spi.SqlExceptionHelper   : SQL Error: 1146, SQLState: 42S02
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.659 ERROR 8496 --- [           main] o.h.engine.jdbc.spi.SqlExceptionHelper   : Table 'test_auditor.app_user' doesn't exist
  Exception in thread "main" org.springframework.dao.InvalidDataAccessResourceUsageException: could not execute statement; SQL [n/a]; nested exception is org.hibernate.exception.SQLGrammarException: could not execute statement
      at org.springframework.orm.jpa.vendor.HibernateJpaDialect.convertHibernateAccessException(HibernateJpaDialect.java:172)
      at org.springframework.orm.jpa.vendor.HibernateJpaDialect.translateExceptionIfPossible(HibernateJpaDialect.java:155)
      at org.springframework.orm.jpa.AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.translateExceptionIfPossible(AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.java:417)
      at org.springframework.dao.support.ChainedPersistenceExceptionTranslator.translateExceptionIfPossible(ChainedPersistenceExceptionTranslator.java:59)
      at org.springframework.dao.support.DataAccessUtils.translateIfNecessary(DataAccessUtils.java:213)
      at org.springframework.dao.support.PersistenceExceptionTranslationInterceptor.invoke(PersistenceExceptionTranslationInterceptor.java:147)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179)
      at org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.support.CrudMethodMetadataPostProcessor$CrudMethodMetadataPopulatingMethodIntercceptor.invoke(CrudMethodMetadataPostProcessor.java:111)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179)
      at org.springframework.aop.interceptor.ExposeInvocationInterceptor.invoke(ExposeInvocationInterceptor.java:92)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:207)
      at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy56.save(Unknown Source)
      at org.springframework.data.jpa.example.repository.simple.SimpleConfiguration.main(SimpleConfiguration.java:45)
  Caused by: org.hibernate.exception.SQLGrammarException: could not execute statement
      at org.hibernate.exception.internal.SQLExceptionTypeDelegate.convert(SQLExceptionTypeDelegate.java:80)
      at org.hibernate.exception.internal.StandardSQLExceptionConverter.convert(StandardSQLExceptionConverter.java:49)
      at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.spi.SqlExceptionHelper.convert(SqlExceptionHelper.java:126)
      at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.spi.SqlExceptionHelper.convert(SqlExceptionHelper.java:112)
      at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.internal.ResultSetReturnImpl.executeUpdate(ResultSetReturnImpl.java:190)
      at org.hibernate.id.IdentityGenerator$GetGeneratedKeysDelegate.executeAndExtract(IdentityGenerator.java:96)
      at org.hibernate.id.insert.AbstractReturningDelegate.performInsert(AbstractReturningDelegate.java:58)
      at org.hibernate.persister.entity.AbstractEntityPersister.insert(AbstractEntityPersister.java:3032)
      at org.hibernate.persister.entity.AbstractEntityPersister.insert(AbstractEntityPersister.java:3558)
      at org.hibernate.action.internal.EntityIdentityInsertAction.execute(EntityIdentityInsertAction.java:98)
      at org.hibernate.engine.spi.ActionQueue.execute(ActionQueue.java:490)
      at org.hibernate.engine.spi.ActionQueue.addResolvedEntityInsertAction(ActionQueue.java:195)
      at org.hibernate.engine.spi.ActionQueue.addInsertAction(ActionQueue.java:179)
      at org.hibernate.engine.spi.ActionQueue.addAction(ActionQueue.java:214)
      at org.hibernate.event.internal.AbstractSaveEventListener.addInsertAction(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:324)
      at org.hibernate.event.internal.AbstractSaveEventListener.performSaveOrReplicate(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:288)
      at org.hibernate.event.internal.AbstractSaveEventListener.performSave(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:194)
      at org.hibernate.event.internal.AbstractSaveEventListener.saveWithGeneratedId(AbstractSaveEventListener.java:125)
      at org.hibernate.jpa.event.internal.core.JpaPersistEventListener.saveWithGeneratedId(JpaPersistEventListener.java:84)
      at org.hibernate.event.internal.DefaultPersistEventListener.entityIsTransient(DefaultPersistEventListener.java:206)
      at org.hibernate.event.internal.DefaultPersistEventListener.onPersist(DefaultPersistEventListener.java:149)
      at org.hibernate.event.internal.DefaultPersistEventListener.onPersist(DefaultPersistEventListener.java:75)
      at org.hibernate.internal.SessionImpl.firePersist(SessionImpl.java:811)
      at org.hibernate.internal.SessionImpl.persist(SessionImpl.java:784)
      at org.hibernate.internal.SessionImpl.persist(SessionImpl.java:789)
      at org.hibernate.jpa.spi.AbstractEntityManagerImpl.persist(AbstractEntityManagerImpl.java:1181)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
      at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
      at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
      at org.springframework.orm.jpa.SharedEntityManagerCreator$SharedEntityManagerInvocationHandler.invoke(SharedEntityManagerCreator.java:289)
      at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy49.persist(Unknown Source)
      at org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.support.SimpleJpaRepository.save(SimpleJpaRepository.java:389)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
      at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
      at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
      at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
      at org.springframework.data.repository.core.support.RepositoryFactorySupport$QueryExecutorMethodInterceptor.executeMethodOn(RepositoryFactorySupport.java:405)
      at org.springframework.data.repository.core.support.RepositoryFactorySupport$QueryExecutorMethodInterceptor.doInvoke(RepositoryFactorySupport.java:390)
      at org.springframework.data.repository.core.support.RepositoryFactorySupport$QueryExecutorMethodInterceptor.invoke(RepositoryFactorySupport.java:344)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179)
      at org.springframework.transaction.interceptor.TransactionInterceptor$1.proceedWithInvocation(TransactionInterceptor.java:98)
      at org.springframework.transaction.interceptor.TransactionAspectSupport.invokeWithinTransaction(TransactionAspectSupport.java:262)
      at org.springframework.transaction.interceptor.TransactionInterceptor.invoke(TransactionInterceptor.java:95)
      at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179)
      at org.springframework.dao.support.PersistenceExceptionTranslationInterceptor.invoke(PersistenceExceptionTranslationInterceptor.java:136)
      ... 8 more
  Caused by: com.mysql.jdbc.exceptions.jdbc4.MySQLSyntaxErrorException: Table 'test_auditor.app_user' doesn't exist
      at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
      at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source)
      at sun.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source)
      at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Unknown Source)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.Util.handleNewInstance(Util.java:408)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.Util.getInstance(Util.java:383)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.SQLError.createSQLException(SQLError.java:1062)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.MysqlIO.checkErrorPacket(MysqlIO.java:4226)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.MysqlIO.checkErrorPacket(MysqlIO.java:4158)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.MysqlIO.sendCommand(MysqlIO.java:2615)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.MysqlIO.sqlQueryDirect(MysqlIO.java:2776)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.ConnectionImpl.execSQL(ConnectionImpl.java:2840)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.PreparedStatement.executeInternal(PreparedStatement.java:2082)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.PreparedStatement.executeUpdate(PreparedStatement.java:2334)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.PreparedStatement.executeUpdate(PreparedStatement.java:2262)
      at com.mysql.jdbc.PreparedStatement.executeUpdate(PreparedStatement.java:2246)
      at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.internal.ResultSetReturnImpl.executeUpdate(ResultSetReturnImpl.java:187)
      ... 49 more
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.674  INFO 8496 --- [       Thread-1] s.c.a.AnnotationConfigApplicationContext : Closing org.springframework.context.annotation.AnnotationConfigApplicationContext@429bd883: startup date [Thu Jul 24 09:44:25 IST 2014]; root of context hierarchy
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.676  INFO 8496 --- [       Thread-1] o.s.j.e.a.AnnotationMBeanExporter        : Unregistering JMX-exposed beans on shutdown
  2014-07-24 09:44:28.678  INFO 8496 --- [       Thread-1] j.LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean : Closing JPA EntityManagerFactory for persistence unit 'default'
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have application.properties as this :</p>
  
  <pre><code>################### DataSource Configuration ##########################
  spring.datasource.driverClassName=com.mysql.jdbc.Driver
  spring.datasource.url=jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/test_auditor
  spring.datasource.username=root
  spring.datasource.password=&lt;password&gt;
  ################### Hibernate Configuration ##########################
  hibernate.dialect=org.hibernate.dialect.MySQLDialect
  hibernate.show_sql=true
  hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto=create
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Users.java :</p>
  
  <pre><code>package org.springframework.data.jpa.example.repository.simple;
  
  import javax.persistence.Column;
  import javax.persistence.Entity;
  import javax.persistence.NamedQuery;
  import javax.persistence.Table;
  import org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.AbstractPersistable;
  
  /**
   * Sample user class.
   * 
   * @author Oliver Gierke
   * @author Thomas Darimont
   */
  @Entity
  @Table (name="app_User")
  @NamedQuery(name = "User.findByTheUsersName", query = "SELECT u FROM User u where u.username = ?")
  public class User extends AbstractPersistable&lt;Long&gt; {
  
      private static final long serialVersionUID = -2952735933715107252L;
  
      @Column(name="username", unique = true) private String username;
  
      @Column (name="firstname")
      private String firstname;
  
      @Column (name="lastname")
      private String lastname;
  
      public User() {
          this(null);
      }
  
      /**
       * Creates a new user instance.
       */
  
      public User(Long id) {
          this.setId(id);
      }
  
      public User(String username, String firstname, String lastname) {
          this.firstname = firstname;
          this.lastname = lastname;
          this.username = username;
      }
  
      /**
       * Returns the username.
       * 
       * @return
       */
      public String getUsername() {
  
          return username;
      }
  
      /**
       * @param username the username to set
       */
      public void setUsername(String username) {
          this.username = username;
      }
  
      /**
       * @return the firstname
       */
      public String getFirstname() {
          return firstname;
      }
  
      /**
       * @param firstname the firstname to set
       */
      public void setFirstname(String firstname) {
          this.firstname = firstname;
      }
  
      /**
       * @return the lastname
       */
      public String getLastname() {
          return lastname;
      }
  
      /**
       * @param lastname the lastname to set
       */
      public void setLastname(String lastname) {
          this.lastname = lastname;
      }
  
       @Override
          public String toString() {
              return String.format(
                      "User[id=%d, username='%s', firstName='%s', lastName='%s']",
                      super.getId(), this.username, this.firstname, this.lastname);
          }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Simple Configuration.java :</p>
  
  <pre><code>package org.springframework.data.jpa.example.repository.simple;
  
  import java.util.List;
  
  import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
  import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.EnableAutoConfiguration;
  import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
  import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
  import org.springframework.context.annotation.PropertySource;
  import org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.config.EnableJpaRepositories;
  
  
  
  
  /**
   * @author Oliver Gierke
   */
  @Configuration
  @PropertySource(value = { "classpath:application.properties" })
  @EnableJpaRepositories
  @EnableAutoConfiguration
  class SimpleConfiguration {
      public static void main(String[] args) {
          ConfigurableApplicationContext context = SpringApplication.run(
                  SimpleConfiguration.class);
  
          SimpleUserRepository repository = context
                  .getBean(SimpleUserRepository.class);
  
          repository.save(new User("harmathu", "Harsh", "Mathur"));
          repository.save(new User("vibmathu", "Vibhor", "Mathur"));
          repository.save(new User("jackbau", "Jack", "Bauer"));
          repository.save(new User("chobr", "Chloe", "O'Brian"));
          repository.save(new User("kimbau", "Kim", "Bauer"));
          repository.save(new User("davipa", "David", "Palmer"));
          repository.save(new User("midess", "Michelle", "Dessler"));
  
          Iterable&lt;User&gt; users = repository.findAll();
  
          System.out.println("Users found with findAll():");
          System.out.println("-------------------------------");
          for (User user : users) {
              System.out.println(user);
          }
          System.out.println();
  
          User user = repository.findOne(1L);
          System.out.println("User found with findOne(1L):");
          System.out.println("--------------------------------");
          System.out.println(user);
          System.out.println();
  
          User bauers = repository.findByTheUsersName("chobr");
          System.out.println("User found with findByLastName('Bauer'):");
          System.out.println("--------------------------------------------");
  
              System.out.println(bauers);
  
  
          context.close();
      }
  }
  </code></pre>