# Relationships

We can link `@Table` in DBFlow via 1-1, 1-many, or many-to-many. For 1-1 we use `@PrimaryKey`, for 1-many we use `@OneToMany`, and for many-to-many we use the `@ManyToMany` annotation.

## One To One

DBFlow supports multiple `@ForeignKey` right out of the box as well (and for the most part, they can also be `@PrimaryKey`).

```kotlin
@Table(database = AppDatabase::class)
class Dog(@PrimaryKey var name: String,
          @ForeignKey(tableClass = Breed::class)
          @PrimaryKey var breed: String,
          @ForeignKey var owner: Owner? = null)
```

`@ForeignKey` can only be a subset of types:&#x20;

1\. `Model`&#x20;

2\. Any field not requiring a `TypeConverter`. If not a `Model` or a table class, you _must_ specify the `tableClass` it points to.&#x20;

3\. Cannot inherit `@ForeignKey` from non-model classes (see [Inherited Columns](../models#inherited-columns))

If you create a circular reference (i.e. two tables with strong references to `Model` as `@ForeignKey` to each other), read on.

## Stubbed Relationships

For efficiency reasons we recommend specifying `@ForeignKey(stubbedRelationship = true)`. What this will do is only _preset_ the primary key references into a table object. This only works with models that have fully mutable constructor properties.

All other fields will not be set. If you need to access the full object, you will have to call `modelAdapter<MyStubbedModel>().load()` .&#x20;

From our previous example of `Dog`, instead of using a `String` field for **breed** we recommended by using a `Breed`. It is nearly identical, but the difference being we would then only need to call `load()` on the reference and it would query the `Breed` table for a row with the `breed` id. This also makes it easier if the table you reference has multiple primary keys, since DBFlow will handle the work for you.

Multiple calls to `load()` will query the DB every time, so call when needed. Also if you don't specify `@Database(foreignKeyConstraintsEnforced = true)`, calling `load()` may not have any effect. Essentially without enforcing `@ForeignKey` at a SQLite level, you can end up with floating key references that do not exist in the referenced table.

In normal circumstances, for every load of a `Dog` object from the database, we would also do a load of related `Owner`. This means that even if multiple `Dog` say (50) all point to same owner we end up doing 2x retrievals for every load of `Dog`. Replacing that model field of `Owner` with a stubbed relationship prevents the extra N lookup time, leading to much faster loads of `Dog`.&#x20;

**Note:** if you need more detailed information, you will still need to load the full data on each individual object.

**Note**: using stubbed relationships also helps to prevent circular references that can get you in a `StackOverFlowError` if two tables strongly reference each other in `@ForeignKey`.

Our modified example now looks like this:

```kotlin
@Table(database = AppDatabase::class)
class Dog(@PrimaryKey var name: String,
          @ForeignKey(stubbedRelationship = true)
          @PrimaryKey var breed: Breed? = null,
          @ForeignKey(stubbedRelationship = true)
          var owner: Owner? = null)
```

## One To Many

In DBFlow, `@OneToMany` is an annotation that you provide to a method in your `Model` class that will allow management of those objects during CRUD operations. This can allow you to combine a relationship of objects to a single `Model` to happen together on load, save, insert, update, and deletion.

```kotlin
@Table(database = ColonyDatabase::class)
class Queen(@PrimaryKey(autoincrement = true)
            var id: Long = 0,
            var name: String? = null,
            @ForeignKey(saveForeignKeyModel = false)
            var colony: Colony? = null) : BaseModel() {

    @get:OneToMany
    val ants: List<Ant>? by oneToMany { select from Ant::class where Ant_Table.queen_id.eq(id) }

}
```

**Note:** This is not recommended to use heavily. It impacts performance exponentially and only recommended if you have a small set of parent objects that reference a subset of items in the DB.

### Efficient Methods

When using `@ManyToMany`, by default we skip the `Model` methods in each retrieved `Ant` (in this example). If you have nested `@ManyToMany` (which should strongly be avoided), you can turn off the efficient operations. Call `@OneToMany(efficientMethods = false)` and it will instead loop through each model and perform `save()`, `delete()`, etc when the parent model is called.

### Custom ForeignKeyReferences

When simple `@ForeignKey` annotation is not enough, you can manually specify references for your table:

```kotlin
@ForeignKey(saveForeignKeyModel = false,
references = {ForeignKeyReference(columnName = "colony", foreignKeyColumnName = "id")})
var colony: Colony? = null;
```

By default not specifying references will take each field and append "${foreignKeyFieldName}\_${ForeignKeyReferenceColumnName}" to make the reference column name. So by default the previous example would use `colony_id` without references. With references it becomes `colony`.

## Many To Many

In DBFlow many to many is done via source-gen. A simple table:

```kotlin
@Table(database = AppDatabase::class)
@ManyToMany(referencedTable = Follower::class)
class User(@PrimaryKey var id: Int = 0, @PrimaryKey var name: String = "")
```

Generates a `@Table` class named `User_Follower`, which DBFlow treats as if you coded the class yourself!:

```java
@Table(
    database = TestDatabase.class
)
public final class User_Follower extends BaseModel {
  @PrimaryKey(
      autoincrement = true
  )
  long _id;

  @ForeignKey(
      saveForeignKeyModel = false
  )
  Follower follower;

  @ForeignKey(
      saveForeignKeyModel = false
  )
  User user;

  public final long getId() {
    return _id;
  }

  public final Followers getFollower() {
    return follower;
  }

  public final void setFollower(Follower param) {
    follower = param;
  }

  public final Users getUser() {
    return user;
  }

  public final void setUser(User param) {
    user = param;
  }
}
```

This annotation makes it very easy to generate "join" tables for you to use in the app for a ManyToMany relationship. It only generates the table you need. To use it you must reference it in code as normal.

**Note**: This annotation is only a helper to generate tables that otherwise you would have to write yourself. It is expected that management still is done by you, the developer.

### Custom Column Names

You can change the name of the columns that are generated. By default they are simply lower case first letter version of the table name.

`referencedTableColumnName` -> Refers to the referenced table.&#x20;

`thisTableColumnName` -> Refers to the table that is creating the reference.

### Multiple ManyToMany

You can also specify `@MultipleManyToMany` which enables you to define more than a single `@ManyToMany` relationship on the table.

A class can use both:

```kotlin
@Table(database = TestDatabase::class)
@ManyToMany(referencedTable = TestModel1::class)
@MultipleManyToMany({@ManyToMany(referencedTable = TestModel2::class),
    @ManyToMany(referencedTable = TestModel3::class)})
class ManyToManyModel(
  @PrimaryKey var name: String = "",
  @PrimaryKey var id: Int = 0,
  @PrimaryKey var anotherColumn: Char? = null)
```
