/*
 * Copyright (c) 2008, 2009, 2011 Oracle, Inc. All rights reserved.
 *
 * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
 * terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0 and Eclipse Distribution License v. 1.0
 * which accompanies this distribution.  The Eclipse Public License is available
 * at http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html and the Eclipse Distribution License
 * is available at http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php.
 */
package javax.persistence;

import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;

import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.TYPE;
import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;
import static javax.persistence.InheritanceType.SINGLE_TABLE;

Defines the inheritance strategy to be used for an entity class
hierarchy. It is specified on the entity class that is the root of
the entity class hierarchy.  If the Inheritance annotation is not
specified or if no inheritance type is specified for an entity
class hierarchy, the SINGLE_TABLE mapping strategy is used.

  Example:
  @Entity
  @Inheritance(strategy=JOINED)
  public class Customer { ... }
  @Entity
  public class ValuedCustomer extends Customer { ... }

Since:
Java Persistence 1.0/**
 * Defines the inheritance strategy to be used for an entity class
 * hierarchy. It is specified on the entity class that is the root of
 * the entity class hierarchy.  If the <code>Inheritance</code> annotation is not
 * specified or if no inheritance type is specified for an entity
 * class hierarchy, the <code>SINGLE_TABLE</code> mapping strategy is used.
 * <p>
 * <pre>
 *
 *   Example:
 *
 *   &#064;Entity
 *   &#064;Inheritance(strategy=JOINED)
 *   public class Customer { ... }
 *
 *   &#064;Entity
 *   public class ValuedCustomer extends Customer { ... }
 * </pre>
 *
 * @since Java Persistence 1.0
 */
@Target({TYPE})
@Retention(RUNTIME)

public @interface Inheritance {

  
The strategy to be used for the entity inheritance hierarchy.
Returns:
strategy/**
   * The strategy to be used for the entity inheritance hierarchy.
   *
   * @return strategy
   */
  InheritanceType strategy() default SINGLE_TABLE;
}