Specifying TCP protocol in JDBC to mysql connection

Just use a JDBC type 3 or 4 driver.

Even more, as far as I know, all MySQL JDBC drivers are type 3/4 already.

As far as I know, TCP will be the underlying protocol despite the nature of the driver used. Unlike Derby or HSQLDB, MySQL does not support (at the time of writing this) any form of databases that operate in an embedded mode.

All connections made to the database for the purpose of executing SQL statements, made by the driver happen to be TCP connections.

is this what you are looking for?

DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/test?useUnicode=true&characterEncoding=UTF-8", username, password);