JDBC is a Java API that allows Java programs to execute SQL statements and access databases. There are 4 types of JDBC drivers: Type 1 uses JDBC-ODBC bridge, Type 2 uses native database APIs, Type 3 uses middleware, and Type 4 communicates directly with database using vendor-specific protocols. The basic JDBC process involves loading the driver, connecting to the database, creating statements to execute queries, processing result sets, and closing the connection.