Any symbol in Java code beginning with @ is known as an annotation.
The use of annotations allows you to add metadata to your objects. Examples of annotations follow:
Annotation | Description |
---|---|
@Entity | Identifies the file as an EJB 3.0 entity |
@NamedQuery | A query that can be used at run time to retrieve data |
@Table | Specifies the primary table for the entity |
@Id | Can define which property is the identifier for the entity |
@Column | Specifies a mapped column for a persistent property or field |
@ManyToOne | Specifies a type of foreign key relationship between tables |
@JoinColumn | Specifies the join column and referenced column for a foreign key relationship |