Attribute

Occurrence

Description

name

required

This attribute takes the name of a property in the javabean class.

value

Optional

Used to assign value to the variable of primitive type

ref

Optional

Used to assign Object type value to variable. This ref attribute should refer the id value of other bean in the spring configuration file.

Element

Description

<value>content</value>

This is same as using ‘value’ attribute in < property > . Using ‘value’ attribute in < property > is more recommended over the <value> child element.

<ref>

This is same as using ‘ref’  attribute in < property >. Using ‘ref’ attribute in < property >  is more recommended over the <value> child element. But unlike <value> element we have to pass the Object (id of other bean ) to the bean attribute of <ref> element.

<null>

This is used to pass null value to the variable of bean. Variable should not be of primitive type.

<bean id="studentbean" class="com.java4coding.EmployeeBean">

        <property name="add" ref="adrress">

                <null></null>

        </property>

        <property name="name" value="Manu Manjunatha"></property>

</bean>

<list>

This is used to pass List object to the variable of bean. Variable should be of type List.

public class ClassRoom {

        public List<String> students ;

        public void setStudents(List<String> students) {

                this.students = students;

        }

}

      <bean class="com.java4coding.ClassRoom">

                <property name="students">

                        <list>

                                <value>Manu Manjunath</value>

                                <value>Likitha Manjunatha</value>

                                <value>Manoj Manjunatha</value>

                        </list>

                </property>

        </bean>

<set>

This is used to pass Set object to the variable of bean. Variable should be of type Set.

public class ClassRoom {

        public Set<String> students ;

        public void setStudents(Set<String> students) {

                this.students = students;

        }

}

        <bean class="com.java4coding.ClassRoom">

                <property name="students">

                        <set>

                                <value>Manu Manjunath</value>

                                <value>Likitha Manjunatha</value>

                                <value>Manoj Manjunatha</value>

                        </set>

                </property>

        </bean>

<map>

This is used to pass Map object to the variable of bean. Variable should be of type Map.

public class ClassRoom {

        public Map<String, String> students ;

        public void setStudents(Map<String, String> students) {

                this.students = students;

        }

}

        <bean class="com.java4coding.ClassRoom">

                <property name="students">

                        <map>

                                <entry key="name" value="Manu Manjunatha"></entry>

                                <entry key="id" value="123"></entry>

                                <entry key="marks" value="100"></entry>

                        </map>

                </property>

        </bean>

<prop>

This is used to pass Properties object to the variable of bean. Variable should be of type Properties.

public class ClassRoom {

        public Properties students ;

        public void setStudents(Properties students) {

                this.students = students;

        }

}

        <bean class="com.java4coding.ClassRoom">

                <property name="students">

                        <props>

                                <prop key="name">Manu Manjunatha</prop>

                                <prop key="id">123</prop>

                                <prop key="marks">100</prop>

                        </props>

                </property>

        </bean>

<bean>

This is used create and pass inner bean to the variable of bean.

        <bean id="studentbean" class="com.java4coding.EmployeeBean">

                <property name="add" ref="adrress">

                        <bean id="adrress" class="com.java4coding.EmplyeeAdress">

                                <property name="city" value="Bangalore"></property>

                        </bean>

                </property>

                <property name="name" value="Manu Manjunatha"></property>

        </bean>