A.5 All Types

     

The following table shows each of the type classes in the net.sf.hibernate.types package, along with the type name you would use for it in a mapping document, the SQL type used in columns storing mapped values, and any relevant comments about its purpose. In many cases, more detailed discussion can be found earlier. To save space, the ' Type ' which appears at the end of each class name has been removed, except in the case of the Type interface implemented by all the others.

Type class	Type name	SQL type	Notes
Abstract-Component	N/A	N/A	Abstract ancestor of Component , DynaBean , and Object types
Abstract	N/A	N/A	Abstract skeleton used by the built-in types
Array	N/A	N/A	Maps a Java array as a Persistent-Collection
Association	N/A	N/A	Interface used by all associations between entities
Bag	N/A	N/A	Maps collections with bag semantics
BigDecimal	big_decimal	NUMERIC	In Oracle, SQL type is NUMBER
Binary	binary	VARBINARY	Basic type for byte arrays
Blob	blob	BLOB	Not all drivers support this
Boolean	boolean	BIT	A basic type
Byte	byte	TINYINT	A basic type
CalendarDate	calendar_date	DATE	A basic type
Calendar	calendar	TIMESTAMP	A basic type
CharBoolean	N/A	CHAR	Abstract skeleton used to implement yes_no and true_false types
Character	character	CHAR	A basic and primitive type
Class	class	VARCHAR or VARCHAR2	Basic type that stores a class' name
Clob	clob	CLOB	Not all drivers support this
Component	N/A	N/A	Maps the properties of a contained value class on to a group of columns
Composite-Custom	N/A	N/A	Adapts CompositeUserType implementations to the Type interface
Currency	currency	VARCHAR or VARCHAR2	Stores ISO code for a currency
Custom	N/A	N/A	Adapts UserType implementations to the Type interface
Date	date	DATE	A basic type
Discriminator	N/A	N/A	Marker interface for types that can be used for discriminator properties (to select the right mapped subclass)
Double	double	DOUBLE	A basic and primitive type
DynaBean	N/A	N/A	Maps Jakarta Commons DynaBeans
Entity	N/A	N/A	Represents a reference to another entity
Float	float	FLOAT	A basic and primitive type
IdentifierBag	N/A	N/A	Supports experimental idbag , mapping a Collection with bag semantics
Identifier	N/A	N/A	Marker interface for types that store identifiers of entities
Immutable	N/A	N/A	Abstract superclass for immutable types; extends NullableType
Integer	integer	INTEGER	A basic and primitive type
List	N/A	N/A	Maps a Java List
Literal	N/A	N/A	Marker interface for types that store SQL literals
Locale	locale	VARCHAR or VARCHAR2	Stores ISO code for a locale
Long	long	LONG	A basic and primitive type
ManyToOne	N/A	N/A	An association between entities
Map	N/A	N/A	Maps a Java Map
Mutable	N/A	N/A	Abstract superclass for mutable types
Nullable	N/A	N/A	Abstract superclass for simple, one column types that can be null
Object	N/A	N/A	Handles 'any' type mappings
OneToOne	N/A	N/A	An association between entities
Persistent-Collection	N/A	N/A	Supports persistence of collections and arrays
PersistentEnum	N/A	N/A	Maps persistent enumerations
Primitive	N/A	N/A	Abstract skeleton for mapping primitive Java types; extends ImmutableType
Serializable	serializable	Binary, depends on SQL dialect	Catch-all mapping for serializable classes with no better alternative
Set	N/A	N/A	Maps a Java Set
Short	short	SMALLINT	A basic and primitive type
SortedMap	N/A	N/A	Sorted extension of MapType
SortedSet	N/A	N/A	Sorted extension of SetType
String	string	VARCHAR or VARCHAR2	A basic and primitive type
Time	time	TIME	A basic type
TimeZone	timezone	VARCHAR or VARCHAR2	Stores time zone ID
Timestamp	timestamp	TIMESTAMP	A basic type
TrueFalse	true_false	CHAR	Stores Booleans as 'T' or 'F'
Type	N/A	N/A	Superinterface of all these types
Version	N/A	N/A	Extends Type for version stamping
YesNo	yes_no	CHAR	Stores Booleans as 'Y' or 'N'

There is also a TypeFactory class which provides assistance in building the right Type implementation for a given need, such as when parsing a type name in a mapping document. Reading its source is interesting.