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# Relational Mappings

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A relational mapping transforms any object data member type to a corresponding relational database (SQL) data source representation in any supported relational database. Relational mappings allow you to map an object model into a relational data-model.

Relational mappings can also transform object data members that reference other domain objects that are stored in other tables in the database and are related through foreign keys.

Use relational mappings in relational projects. For more information, see "Relational Projects".

For more information about relational mappings, see Understanding Relational Mappings and Configuring a Relational Mapping.

Note:

Do not confuse relational mappings with object-relational mappings (see "Object-Relational Mappings"). An object-relational mapping transforms certain object data member types to structured data source representations optimized for storage in specialized object-relational databases such as Oracle Database. Object-relational mappings allow you to map an object model into an object-relational data-model. In general, you can use relational mappings with any supported relational database. You can only use Object-relational mappings with specialized object-relational databases optimized to support object-relational data source representations.

TopLink provides the following relational mappings:

- Configuring a Relational Direct-to-Field Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Direct-to-XMLType Mapping

- Configuring a Relational One-to-One Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Variable One-to-One Mapping

- Configuring a Relational One-to-Many Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Many-to-Many Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Aggregate Collection Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Direct Collection Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Direct Map Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Aggregate Object Mapping

- Configuring a Relational Transformation Mapping