I am trying to use an in-memory H2 database with Spring Boot JPA, but my application fails to start with the error: 'Cannot load driver class: .h2.Driver'

The error Log

Error starting ApplicationContext. To display the condition evaluation report re-run your application with 'debug' enabled.
2025-03-10T19:46:53.720+01:00 ERROR 7368 --- [firstjobapp] [           main] o.s.boot.SpringApplication               : Application run failed

.springframework.beans.factory.UnsatisfiedDependencyException: Error creating bean with name '.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.orm.jpa.HibernateJpaConfiguration': Unsatisfied dependency expressed through constructor parameter 0: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in class path resource [/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/jdbc/DataSourceConfiguration$Hikari.class]: Failed to instantiate [com.zaxxer.hikari.HikariDataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception with message: Cannot load driver class: .h2.Driver
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.createArgumentArray(ConstructorResolver.java:804) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.autowireConstructor(ConstructorResolver.java:240) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.autowireConstructor(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1381) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1218) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:563) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:523) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:339) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:346) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:337) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:202) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:413) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1361) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1191) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:563) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:523) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:339) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:346) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:337) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:207) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:970) ~[spring-context-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:627) ~[spring-context-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.boot.web.servlet.context.ServletWebServerApplicationContext.refresh(ServletWebServerApplicationContext.java:146) ~[spring-boot-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:752) ~[spring-boot-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refreshContext(SpringApplication.java:439) ~[spring-boot-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:318) ~[spring-boot-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1361) ~[spring-boot-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1350) ~[spring-boot-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at com.example.firstjobapp.FirstjobappApplication.main(FirstjobappApplication.java:10) ~[classes/:na]
Caused by: .springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'dataSource' defined in class path resource [/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/jdbc/DataSourceConfiguration$Hikari.class]: Failed to instantiate [com.zaxxer.hikari.HikariDataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception with message: Cannot load driver class: .h2.Driver
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiate(ConstructorResolver.java:657) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:645) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1361) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1191) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:563) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:523) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:339) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:346) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:337) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:202) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.doResolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1606) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.resolveDependency(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:1552) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.resolveAutowiredArgument(ConstructorResolver.java:913) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.createArgumentArray(ConstructorResolver.java:791) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    ... 27 common frames omitted
Caused by: .springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.zaxxer.hikari.HikariDataSource]: Factory method 'dataSource' threw exception with message: Cannot load driver class: .h2.Driver
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.lambda$instantiate$0(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:199) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiateWithFactoryMethod(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:88) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:168) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiate(ConstructorResolver.java:653) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    ... 40 common frames omitted
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot load driver class: .h2.Driver
    at .springframework.util.Assert.state(Assert.java:101) ~[spring-core-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    at .springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceProperties.determineDriverClassName(DataSourceProperties.java:175) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.PropertiesJdbcConnectionDetails.getDriverClassName(PropertiesJdbcConnectionDetails.java:49) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceConfiguration.createDataSource(DataSourceConfiguration.java:55) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at .springframework.boot.autoconfigure.jdbc.DataSourceConfiguration$Hikari.dataSource(DataSourceConfiguration.java:117) ~[spring-boot-autoconfigure-3.5.0-M2.jar:3.5.0-M2]
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DirectMethodHandleAccessor.invoke(DirectMethodHandleAccessor.java:103) ~[na:na]
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:580) ~[na:na]
    at .springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.lambda$instantiate$0(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:171) ~[spring-beans-6.2.3.jar:6.2.3]
    ... 43 common frames omitted


Process finished with exit code 1

application.properties

spring.jpa.show-sql=true
spring.h2.console.enabled=true
spring.datasource.url=jdbc:h2:mem:testdb
spring.jpa.defer-datasource-initialization=true
spring.datasource.driverClassName=.h2.Driver

pom.xml

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-data-jpa</artifactId>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>com.h2database</groupId>
        <artifactId>h2</artifactId>
        <scope>runtime</scope>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
        <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>.springframework</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-orm</artifactId>
        <version>4.2.2.RELEASE</version>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>.hibernate</groupId>
        <artifactId>hibernate-entitymanager</artifactId>
        <version>5.0.3.Final</version>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Howto fix the above error to get JPA H2 working?

I did try to add it from spring initalizer h2 mem db, but failed to load driver from H2 jpa Spring boot

files are set up as shown above. How can I fix this error to get JPA and H2 working correctly?"