javax.persistence
Annotation Type MapKey

@Target(value={METHOD,FIELD})
@Retention(value=RUNTIME)
public @interface MapKey

Is used to specify the map key for associations of type java.util.Map when the map key is itself the primary key or a persistent field or property of the entity that is the value of the map.

If a persistent field or property other than the primary key is used as a map key then it is expected to have a uniqueness constraint associated with it.

The MapKeyClass annotation is not used when MapKey is specified and vice versa.

    Example 1:

    @Entity
    public class Department {
        ...
        @OneToMany(mappedBy="department")
        @MapKey(name="empId")
        public Map<Integer, Employee> getEmployees() {... }
        ...
    }

    @Entity
    public class Employee {
        ...
        @Id Integer getEmpid() { ... }
        @ManyToOne
        @JoinColumn(name="dept_id")
        public Department getDepartment() { ... }
        ...
    }

    Example 2:

    @Entity
        public class Department {
        ...
        @OneToMany(mappedBy="department")
        @MapKey(name="empPK")
        public Map<EmployeePK, Employee> getEmployees() {... }
        ...
    }

    @Entity
        public class Employee {
        @EmbeddedId public EmployeePK getEmpPK() { ... }
        ...
        @ManyToOne
        @JoinColumn(name="dept_id")
        public Department getDepartment() { ... }
        ...
    }

    @Embeddable
    public class EmployeePK {
        String name;
        Date bday;
    }
 

Since:

Java Persistence 1.0

Optional Element Summary

java.lang.String

name (Optional) The name of the persistent field or property of the associated entity that is used as the map key.

name

public abstract java.lang.String name

(Optional) The name of the persistent field or property of the associated entity that is used as the map key.

Default: If the name element is not specified, the primary key of the associated entity is used as the map key. If the primary key is a composite primary key and is mapped as IdClass, an instance of the primary key class is used as the key.

Default:

""