Module jakarta.persistence
Package jakarta.persistence

Annotation Interface JoinColumn

@Repeatable(JoinColumns.class) @Target({METHOD,FIELD}) @Retention(RUNTIME) public @interface JoinColumn
Specifies a column for joining an entity association or element collection. If the JoinColumn annotation itself is defaulted, a single join column is assumed and the default values apply.

Example: 

@ManyToOne
@JoinColumn(name = "ADDR_ID")
public Address getAddress() { return address; }

Example: unidirectional one-to-many association using a foreign key mapping 

// In Customer class
@OneToMany
@JoinColumn(name = "CUST_ID") // join column is in the table for Order
public Set<Order> getOrders() { return orders; }
Since:
1.0
See Also:

  • Optional Element Summary

    Optional Elements
    Modifier and Type
    Optional Element
    Description
    CheckConstraint[]
    check
    (Optional) Check constraints to be applied to the column.
    String
    columnDefinition
    (Optional) The SQL fragment that is used when generating the DDL for the column.
    String
    comment
    (Optional) A comment to be applied to the column.
    ForeignKey
    foreignKey
    (Optional) Used to specify or control the generation of a foreign key constraint when table generation is in effect.
    boolean
    insertable
    (Optional) Whether the column is included in SQL INSERT statements generated by the persistence provider.
    String
    name
    (Optional) The name of the foreign key column.
    boolean
    nullable
    (Optional) Whether the foreign key column is nullable.
    String
    options
    (Optional) A SQL fragment appended to the generated DDL which declares this column.
    String
    referencedColumnName
    (Optional) The name of the column referenced by this foreign key column.
    String
    table
    (Optional) The name of the table that contains the column.
    boolean
    unique
    (Optional) Whether the property is a unique key.
    boolean
    updatable
    (Optional) Whether the column is included in SQL UPDATE statements generated by the persistence provider.

  • Element Details

    • name

      String name
      (Optional) The name of the foreign key column.

      The table in which this column is found depends on the context.

      • If the join is for a OneToOne or ManyToOne mapping using a foreign key mapping strategy, the foreign key column is in the table of the source entity or embeddable.
      • If the join is for a unidirectional OneToMany mapping using a foreign key mapping strategy, the foreign key is in the table of the target entity.
      • If the join is for a ManyToMany mapping or for a OneToOne or bidirectional ManyToOne/OneToMany mapping using a join table, the foreign key is in a join table.
      • If the join is for an ElementCollection, the foreign key is in a collection table.

      Default (only applies if a single join column is used): The concatenation of the following: the name of the referencing relationship property or field of the referencing entity or embeddable class; "_"; the name of the referenced primary key column. If there is no such referencing relationship property or field in the entity, or if the join is for an element collection, the join column name is formed as the concatenation of the following: the name of the entity; "_"; the name of the referenced primary key column.

      Default:
      ""

    • referencedColumnName

      String referencedColumnName
      (Optional) The name of the column referenced by this foreign key column.
      • When used with entity relationship mappings other than the cases described here, the referenced column is in the table of the target entity.
      • When used with a unidirectional OneToMany foreign key mapping, the referenced column is in the table of the source entity.
      • When used inside a JoinTable annotation, the referenced key column is in the entity table of the owning entity, or inverse entity if the join is part of the inverse join definition.
      • When used in a CollectionTable mapping, the referenced column is in the table of the entity containing the collection.

      Default (only applies if single join column is being used): The same name as the primary key column of the referenced table.

      Default:
      ""

    • unique

      boolean unique
      (Optional) Whether the property is a unique key. This is a shortcut for the UniqueConstraint annotation at the table level and is useful for when the unique key constraint is only a single field. It is not necessary to explicitly specify this for a join column that corresponds to a primary key that is part of a foreign key.
      Default:
      false

    • nullable

      boolean nullable
      (Optional) Whether the foreign key column is nullable.
      Default:
      true

    • insertable

      boolean insertable
      (Optional) Whether the column is included in SQL INSERT statements generated by the persistence provider.
      Default:
      true

    • updatable

      boolean updatable
      (Optional) Whether the column is included in SQL UPDATE statements generated by the persistence provider.
      Default:
      true

    • columnDefinition

      String columnDefinition
      (Optional) The SQL fragment that is used when generating the DDL for the column.

      Defaults to the generated SQL for the column.

      Default:
      ""

    • options

      String options
      (Optional) A SQL fragment appended to the generated DDL which declares this column. May not be used in conjunction with columnDefinition().
      Since:
      3.2
      Default:
      ""

    • table

      String table
      (Optional) The name of the table that contains the column. If a table is not specified, the column is assumed to be in the primary table of the applicable entity.

      Default:

      • If the join is for a OneToOne or ManyToOne mapping using a foreign key mapping strategy, the name of the table of the source entity or embeddable.
      • If the join is for a unidirectional OneToMany mapping using a foreign key mapping strategy, the name of the table of the target entity.
      • If the join is for a ManyToMany mapping or for a OneToOne or bidirectional ManyToOne/OneToMany mapping using a join table, the name of the join table.
      • If the join is for an element collection, the name of the collection table.
      Default:
      ""

    • foreignKey

      ForeignKey foreignKey
      (Optional) Used to specify or control the generation of a foreign key constraint when table generation is in effect. If this element is not specified, a default foreign key strategy is selected by the persistence provider.
      Since:
      2.1
      Default:
      @jakarta.persistence.ForeignKey(PROVIDER_DEFAULT)

    • check

      CheckConstraint[] check
      (Optional) Check constraints to be applied to the column. These are only used if table generation is in effect.
      Since:
      3.2
      Default:
      {}

    • comment

      String comment
      (Optional) A comment to be applied to the column. This is only used if table generation is in effect.
      Since:
      3.2
      Default:
      ""