Final answer:
JPA annotations such as Entity, Table, and Column are used to map Java classes to database tables, specify table names, and indicate column details.
Step-by-step explanation:
Java Persistence API (JPA) offers a suite of annotations pivotal for mapping Java classes to database tables.
Among the prominently utilized annotations are:
Entity: Signifying that the class is an entity, this annotation establishes a mapping to a corresponding database table.
Table: Employed to articulate the name of the table in the database aligned with the entity.
Id: Designating a field as the primary key.
Column: Detailing the attributes of a database table column.
ManyToOne and OneToMany: Orchestrating the relational mappings between entities (tables).
JoinColumn: Dictating the column serving as a foreign key.
Embedded and Embeddable: Utilized for embedding a class within another entity.
GeneratedValue: Applied to the primary key, it outlines the strategy for generating unique values.
These JPA annotations streamline object-relational mapping (ORM), facilitating the seamless conversion of data between the Java object model and the relational database model.
This approach allows for the definition of schema in Java code, obviating the need for distinct XML configuration files.