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# Descriptors and Mappings

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TopLink maps persistent entities to the database in the application, using the descriptors and mappings you build with TopLink Workbench. TopLink Workbench supports several approaches to project development, including the following:

- Importing classes and tables for mapping

- Importing classes and generating tables and mappings

- Importing tables and generating classes and mappings

- Creating both class and table definitions

TopLink Workbench supports all these options. The most common solution is to develop the persistent entities using a development tool, such as an integrated development environment (IDE) like Oracle JDeveloper, or a modeling tool, and to develop the relational model through appropriate relational design tools. You then use TopLink Workbench to construct mappings that relate these two models.

Although TopLink Workbench does offer the ability to generate persistent entities or the relational model components for an application, these utilities are intended only to assist in rapid initial development strategies–not complete round-trip application development.

For more information, see Understanding Descriptors and Understanding Mappings.