It primarily supports JDBC 3.0 and 4.0 specifications and is designed for MySQL versions 4.1 through 5.5.
The "Bin" in the filename typically refers to the binary distribution, specifically mysql-connector-java-5.1.7-bin.jar . Key Features (at release) Mysql Connector Java 5.1.7 Bin
This version (released around 2009) included bug fixes carried over from the 5.0.x series, specifically improving SQLException categorization and auto-registration with the Driver Manager. It primarily supports JDBC 3
In its prime, it was highly regarded for being a "pure Java" implementation, meaning it didn't require native MySQL client libraries to function. Mysql Connector Java 5.1.7 Bin