Classes with Databases question

Hi,

I have never used databases with Java but I have to start now. They are very useful to use with my programs but I have noticed that since using them I haven't got much use for classes yet. A simple example: If I make a program dealing with employees and fill up the database with their entered information, I dont even need a class for the employees. I can add them straight into the database using sql statements, therefore what is the point in making classes for them? Could someone give me info or reasons why to use classes for entities I add to a database? I hope that came across as understandable.

Thanks.

Maybe you need to work with those entities in your Java code as well...? It's much easier to handle an object than a number of individual values.

Also, while it's certainly possible to get by with raw JDBC, you need objects for any ORM system (like JPA, Hibernate etc.), which most people are using these days instead of raw JDBC.