Unofficial JAXB Guide

This document explains various interesting/complex/tricky aspects of JAXB, based on questions posted on the JAXB users forum and answers I provided. This is an ongoing work-in-progress. Any feedback appreciated.

1. Compiling XML Schema

• 1.1. Dealing with errors
• 1.2. Fixing broken references in schema
• 1.3. Mapping of <xs:any />
• 1.4. Mapping of <xs:element /> to JAXBElement
• 1.5. How modularization of schema interacts with XJC
• 1.6. Adding behaviors
• 1.7. Avoid strong databinding
• 1.8. Working with generated code in memory

2. Customization of Schema Compilation

• 2.1. Customizing Java packages
• 2.2. Using SCD for customizations
• 2.3. Using different datatypes

3. Annotating Your Classes

• 3.1. Mapping your favorite class
• 3.2. Mapping interfaces
• 3.3. Evolving annotated classes
• 3.4. XML layout and in-memory data layout
• 3.5. Mapping cyclic references to XML

4. Unmarshalling

• 4.1. @XmlRootElement and unmarshalling
• 4.2. Unmarshalling is not working! Help!
• 4.3. Element default values and unmarshalling
• 4.4. Dealing with large documents

5. Marshalling

• 5.1. Changing prefixes
• 5.2. Element default values and marshalling
• 5.3. Different ways of marshalling
• 5.4. Interaction between marshalling and DOM

6. Schema Generation

• 6.1. Invoking schemagen programatically
• 6.2. Generating Schema that you want

7. Deployment

• 7.1. Migrating JAXB 2.0 applications to JavaSE 6
• 7.2. Which JAXB RI is included in which JDK?
• 7.3. Running JAXB 1.0 and 2.x side by side
• 7.4. Migrating JAXB 1.0 applications to JAXB 2.x
• 7.5. Runtime Errors

8. Other Miscellaneous Topics

• 8.1. Performance and thread-safety
• 8.2. Compiling DTD
• 8.3. Using JAXB from Maven
• 8.4. Designing a client/server protocol in XML
• 8.5. Contributing to this Guide