src/javax/persistence/GeneratedValue.java

/*******************************************************************************
 * Copyright (c) 2008 - 2013 Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.
 *
 * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
 * terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0 and Eclipse Distribution License v. 1.0
 * which accompanies this distribution.
 * The Eclipse Public License is available at http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html
 * and the Eclipse Distribution License is available at
 * http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php.
 *
 * Contributors:
 *     Linda DeMichiel - Java Persistence 2.1
 *     Linda DeMichiel - Java Persistence 2.0
 *
 ******************************************************************************/
package javax.persistence;

import java.lang.annotation.Target;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.FIELD;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.METHOD;
import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;
import static javax.persistence.GenerationType.AUTO;

/**
 * Provides for the specification of generation strategies for the
 * values of primary keys. 
 *
 * <p> The <code>GeneratedValue</code> annotation
 * may be applied to a primary key property or field of an entity or
 * mapped superclass in conjunction with the {@link Id} annotation.
 * The use of the <code>GeneratedValue</code> annotation is only
 * required to be supported for simple primary keys.  Use of the
 * <code>GeneratedValue</code> annotation is not supported for derived
 * primary keys.
 *
 * <pre>
 *
 *     Example 1:
 *
 *     &#064;Id
 *     &#064;GeneratedValue(strategy=SEQUENCE, generator="CUST_SEQ")
 *     &#064;Column(name="CUST_ID")
 *     public Long getId() { return id; }
 *
 *     Example 2:
 *
 *     &#064;Id
 *     &#064;GeneratedValue(strategy=TABLE, generator="CUST_GEN")
 *     &#064;Column(name="CUST_ID")
 *     Long id;
 * </pre>
 *
 * @see Id
 * @see TableGenerator
 * @see SequenceGenerator
 *
 * @since Java Persistence 1.0
 */
@Target({METHOD, FIELD})
@Retention(RUNTIME)

public @interface GeneratedValue {

    /**
     * (Optional) The primary key generation strategy
     * that the persistence provider must use to
     * generate the annotated entity primary key.
     */
    GenerationType strategy() default AUTO;

    /**
     * (Optional) The name of the primary key generator
     * to use as specified in the {@link SequenceGenerator} 
     * or {@link TableGenerator} annotation.
     * <p> Defaults to the id generator supplied by persistence provider.
     */
    String generator() default "";
}