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.METHOD;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.FIELD;
import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;
import static javax.persistence.FetchType.LAZY;


Specifies a collection of instances of a basic type or embeddable
class. 
Must be specified if the collection is to be mapped by
means of a collection table.

   Example:
   @Entity public class Person {
      @Id protected String ssn;
      protected String name;
      ...
      @ElementCollection  
      protected Set<String> nickNames = new HashSet();
        ...
   } 
 


Since:Java Persistence 2.0
/**
 * Specifies a collection of instances of a basic type or embeddable
 * class. 
 * Must be specified if the collection is to be mapped by
 * means of a collection table.
 * 
 * <pre>
 *    Example:
 *
 *    &#064;Entity public class Person {
 *       &#064;Id protected String ssn;
 *       protected String name;
 *       ...
 *       &#064;ElementCollection  
 *       protected Set&#060;String&#062; nickNames = new HashSet();
 *         ...
 *    } 
 *  </pre>
 *
 * @since Java Persistence 2.0
 */
@Target( { METHOD, FIELD })
@Retention(RUNTIME)
public @interface ElementCollection {

    
(Optional) The basic or embeddable class that is the element
type of the collection.  This element is optional only if the
collection field or property is defined using Java generics,
and must be specified otherwise.  It defaults to the
paramterized type of the collection when defined using
generics.

/**
     * (Optional) The basic or embeddable class that is the element
     * type of the collection.  This element is optional only if the
     * collection field or property is defined using Java generics,
     * and must be specified otherwise.  It defaults to the
     * paramterized type of the collection when defined using
     * generics.
     */
    Class targetClass() default void.class;
    
    
 (Optional) Whether the collection should be lazily loaded or must be
 eagerly fetched.  The EAGER strategy is a requirement on
 the persistence provider runtime that the collection elements
 must be eagerly fetched.  The LAZY strategy is a hint to the
 persistence provider runtime.

/**
     *  (Optional) Whether the collection should be lazily loaded or must be
     *  eagerly fetched.  The EAGER strategy is a requirement on
     *  the persistence provider runtime that the collection elements
     *  must be eagerly fetched.  The LAZY strategy is a hint to the
     *  persistence provider runtime.
     */
    FetchType fetch() default LAZY;
}