https://github.com/javaee/jpa-spec: Java(TM) Persistence API 
Copyright (c) 2008 - 2013 Oracle Corporation. 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.
Contributors:
    Linda DeMichiel - Java Persistence 2.1
    Linda DeMichiel - Java Persistence 2.0

/*******************************************************************************
 * Copyright (c) 2008 - 2013 Oracle Corporation. 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.
 *
 * Contributors:
 *     Linda DeMichiel - Java Persistence 2.1
 *     Linda DeMichiel - Java Persistence 2.0
 *
 ******************************************************************************/ 
package javax.persistence;

import java.lang.annotation.Target;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.TYPE;
import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;


Specifies the value of the discriminator column for 
entities of the given type. 

 The DiscriminatorValue 
annotation can only be specified on a concrete entity 
class. 

 If the DiscriminatorValue annotation is not specified and a discriminator column is used, a provider-specific function will be used to generate a value representing the entity type. If the DiscriminatorType is 
STRING, the discriminator value 
default is the entity name. 

 The inheritance strategy and the discriminator column 
are only specified in the root of an entity class hierarchy 
or subhierarchy in which a different inheritance strategy is 
applied. The discriminator value, if not defaulted, should be 
specified for each entity class in the hierarchy.

   Example:
   @Entity
   @Table(name="CUST")
   @Inheritance(strategy=SINGLE_TABLE)
   @DiscriminatorColumn(name="DISC", discriminatorType=STRING, length=20)
   @DiscriminatorValue("CUSTOMER")
   public class Customer { ... }
   @Entity
   @DiscriminatorValue("VCUSTOMER")
   public class ValuedCustomer extends Customer { ... }



See Also:
Since:Java Persistence 1.0
/**
 * Specifies the value of the discriminator column for 
 * entities of the given type. 
 *
 * <p> The <code>DiscriminatorValue</code> 
 * annotation can only be specified on a concrete entity 
 * class. 
 *
 * <p> If the <code>DiscriminatorValue</code> annotation is not 
 * specified and a discriminator column is used, a provider-specific 
 * function will be used to generate a value representing the 
 * entity type.  If the {@link DiscriminatorType} is <code>
 * STRING</code>, the discriminator value 
 * default is the entity name. 
 *
 * <p> The inheritance strategy and the discriminator column 
 * are only specified in the root of an entity class hierarchy 
 * or subhierarchy in which a different inheritance strategy is 
 * applied. The discriminator value, if not defaulted, should be 
 * specified for each entity class in the hierarchy.
 *
 * <pre>
 *
 *    Example:
 *
 *    &#064;Entity
 *    &#064;Table(name="CUST")
 *    &#064;Inheritance(strategy=SINGLE_TABLE)
 *    &#064;DiscriminatorColumn(name="DISC", discriminatorType=STRING, length=20)
 *    &#064;DiscriminatorValue("CUSTOMER")
 *    public class Customer { ... }
 *
 *    &#064;Entity
 *    &#064;DiscriminatorValue("VCUSTOMER")
 *    public class ValuedCustomer extends Customer { ... }
 * </pre>
 *
 * @see DiscriminatorColumn
 *
 * @since Java Persistence 1.0
 */
@Target({TYPE}) 
@Retention(RUNTIME)

public @interface DiscriminatorValue {

    
(Optional) The value that indicates that the
row is an entity of the annotated entity type.

 If the DiscriminatorValue annotation is not
specified and a discriminator column is used, a
provider-specific function will be used to generate a value
representing the entity type.  If the DiscriminatorType is
STRING, the discriminator value default is the
entity name.

/**
     * (Optional) The value that indicates that the
     * row is an entity of the annotated entity type.
     *
     * <p> If the <code>DiscriminatorValue</code> annotation is not
     * specified and a discriminator column is used, a
     * provider-specific function will be used to generate a value
     * representing the entity type.  If the <code>DiscriminatorType</code> is
     * <code>STRING</code>, the discriminator value default is the
     * entity name.
     */
    String value();
}