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# Understanding the Descriptor API

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The descriptor API can be used to define, or amend TopLink descriptors through Java code. The descriptor API classes are mainly in the `oracle.toplink.descriptors` package. These include the following classes:

- `ClassDescriptor` (abstract generic descriptor API)

- `RelationalDescriptor` (relational project-specific API)

- `DescriptorEventManager` (event API)

- `DescriptorQueryManager` (query API)

- `InheritancePolicy`

- `InterfacePolicy`

- `ReturningPolicy`

- Locking policies (various optimistic locking policies)

For object-relational, EIS, and XML projects, descriptor classes are in the `oracle.toplink.objectrelational`, `oracle.toplink.eis`, and `oracle.toplink.ox` packages, respectively.

This section describes the important descriptor classes in the Oracle TopLink Foundation Library, including:

- Descriptor Inheritance Hierarchy