Skip Headers

# Relational Interface Descriptors

Previous

Next

If you add an interface to a relational project (see "Configuring Project Classpath"), TopLink Workbench creates an interface descriptor for it.

An interface is a collection of abstract behavior that other classes can use. It is a purely Java concept and has no representation on the relational database. Therefore, a descriptor defined for the interfaces does not map any relational entities on the database.

The interface descriptor includes the following elements:

- The Java interface it describes.

- The parent interface(s) it implements.

- A list of abstract query keys.

An interface descriptor does not define any mappings, because there is no concrete data or table associated with it. A list of abstract query keys is defined so that you can issue queries on the interfaces (see "Configuring Interface Query Keys"). A read query on the interface results in reading one or more of its implementors.