AssociationKey (hibernate-core JavaDocs)

java.lang.Object
- org.hibernate.persister.walking.spi.AssociationKey

```
public class AssociationKey
extends Object
```
Used to uniquely identify a foreign key, so that we don't join it more than once creating circularities. Note that the table+columns refers to the association owner. These are used to help detect bi-directional associations since the Hibernate runtime metamodel (persisters) do not inherently know this information. For example, consider the Order -> Customer and Customer -> Order(s) bi-directional association; both would be mapped to the ORDER_TABLE.CUST_ID column. That is the purpose of this struct.
Bit of a misnomer to call this an association attribute. But this follows the legacy use of AssociationKey from old JoinWalkers to denote circular join detection

- Constructor Summary
  
  Constructors
  Constructor Description
  
  AssociationKey(String table, String[] columns)
  Create the AssociationKey.
- Method Summary
  
  All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
  Modifier and Type Method Description
  
  boolean equals(Object o)
  
  int hashCode()
  
  String toString()
  - Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
    clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

- Constructor Detail
  - AssociationKey
```
public AssociationKey(String table,
                      String[] columns)
```
    Create the AssociationKey.
    
    Parameters:
    
    table - The table part of the association key
    
    columns - The columns that define the association key
- Method Detail
  - equals
```
public boolean equals(Object o)
```
    Overrides:
    
    equals in class Object
  - hashCode
```
public int hashCode()
```
    Overrides:
    
    hashCode in class Object
  - toString
```
public String toString()
```
    Overrides:
    
    toString in class Object