JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) is an API that provides Java programs with the ability to connect to and interact with databases. It allows database-independent access to different database management systems (DBMS) using Java programming language. JDBC drivers are used to connect to databases and come in four types depending on how they interface with the database. The basic steps to use JDBC include registering a driver, connecting to the database, executing SQL statements, handling results, and closing the connection. Scrollable result sets and prepared statements are also introduced as advanced JDBC features.