Merge branch 'master' into feature/dto-extensions

Co-authored-by: robin.bygrave <robin.bygrave@eroad.com>

.github/workflows/build.yml

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:
@@ -40,5 +40,7 @@ jobs:
 #    - name: Maven single test
 #      run: mvn --batch-mode clean verify -Dtest="io.ebeaninternal.server.core.DefaultServer_getReferenceTest" -DfailIfNoTests=false
     - name: Build with Maven
-      run: mvn -T 1C clean test -Pdefault
+      run: mvn -T 1C clean install -Pdefault
+    - name: Test SequencedSet and SequencedMap (requires installed MR-JAR)
+      run: cd tests/test-java16 && mvn test
 

.github/workflows/db2luw.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/h2database.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/mariadb.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/multi-db-platform.yml

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/multi-jdk-build.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11, 17, 21]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/mysql.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/oracle.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/postgres.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/sqlserver-2019.yml

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/sqlserver.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/yugabyte.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        java_version: [11]
+        java_version: [21]
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
 
     steps:

composites/ebean-clickhouse/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-clickhouse</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-cockroach/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-postgres</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-db2/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-db2</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-h2/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-h2</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-hana/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-hana</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-mariadb/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-mariadb</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-mysql/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-mysql</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-net-postgis/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
   <properties>
     <postgis.jdbc.version>2023.1.0</postgis.jdbc.version>
-    <postgres.jdbc.version>42.7.2</postgres.jdbc.version>
+    <postgres.jdbc.version>42.7.11</postgres.jdbc.version>
   </properties>
 
   <dependencies>
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -47,19 +47,19 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-postgres</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-net-postgis-types</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>

composites/ebean-nuodb/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-nuodb</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-oracle/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-oracle</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-pgvector/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -47,19 +47,19 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-postgres</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-pgvector-types</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>

composites/ebean-postgis/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -47,19 +47,19 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-postgres</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-postgis-types</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>

composites/ebean-postgres/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-postgres</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-sqlite/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-sqlite</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-sqlserver/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-sqlserver</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean-yugabyte/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-postgres</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/ebean/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-jackson-mapper</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -60,13 +60,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-all</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
   </dependencies>

composites/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>composites</artifactId>

docs/LIBRARY.md

@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ Ebean is an ORM library for Java and Kotlin focused on relational data access, t
 | `exists()` | Efficient existence checks | `new QCustomer().email.equalTo(email).exists();` |
 | `findOne()` | Unique/single-row retrieval | `new QCustomer().id.equalTo(id).findOne();` |
 | `findList()` | List retrieval | `new QCustomer().findList();` |
-| `asDto(...).findList()` | DTO projection reads | `new QOrder().asDto(OrderSummary.class).findList();` |
+| `asDto(...).findList()` | Flat DTO projection reads | `new QOrder().asDto(OrderSummary.class).findList();` |
+| `mapTo(...).findList()` | Nested DTO graph projection reads | `new QCustomer().mapTo(CustomerDto.class).findList();` |
 
 ### Entity mapping and lifecycle annotations
 
@@ -188,6 +189,7 @@ database.save(customer);
 | Model entity beans correctly | [entity-bean-creation.md](guides/entity-bean-creation.md) |
 | Use Lombok safely with entities | [lombok-with-ebean-entity-beans.md](guides/lombok-with-ebean-entity-beans.md) |
 | Write type-safe query bean queries | [writing-ebean-query-beans.md](guides/writing-ebean-query-beans.md) |
+| Map nested entity graphs to DTO graphs | [mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md](guides/mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md) |
 | Persist changes and manage transactions | [persisting-and-transactions-with-ebean.md](guides/persisting-and-transactions-with-ebean.md) |
 | Build test entities quickly | [testing-with-testentitybuilder.md](guides/testing-with-testentitybuilder.md) |
 

docs/dto-mapping-design.md

@@ -0,0 +1,709 @@
+# Nested DTO Mapping — API Design
+
+Design spike for the accepted requirements in [dto-mapping-requirements.md](./dto-mapping-requirements.md),
+covering issue #2540. This captures the concrete API shape, annotations, and open-question decisions made
+during design review — before implementation begins.
+
+## Two source-vs-target mapping pipelines
+
+Ebean now has (or will have) two distinct DTO pipelines. It's important callers can tell which one they're
+using:
+
+1. **`asDto(Dto.class)`** (existing) — a `DtoQuery`, executed directly against a flat SQL `ResultSet`.
+   One row -> one DTO, via constructor/setter matching. No nested ToOne/ToMany support, no entity graph
+   involved.
+2. **`mapTo(Dto.class)`** (new) — runs the normal ORM entity query (joins/fetches as usual), producing an
+   *unmodifiable entity graph*, then maps that Java object graph into a DTO graph. Supports nested
+   ToOne/ToMany, identity-aware de-duplication, and derives its own fetch spec from the DTO shape.
+
+## Proposed API
+
+```java
+// Existing flat DtoQuery pipeline — unchanged
+new QUser().valid.eq(true)
+    .select(firstName, lastName)
+    .asDto(UserInfo.class)
+    .findList();
+```
+
+```java
+// NEW: nested DTO graph pipeline
+public class CustomerDto {
+  Long id;
+  String name;
+  AddressDto billingAddress;      // ToOne -> nested DTO, matched by property name "billingAddress"
+  List<ContactDto> contacts;      // ToMany -> nested DTO list, matched by property name "contacts"
+
+  @DtoPath("billingAddress.line1")
+  String billingLine1;            // renamed / flattened path
+}
+
+public class ContactDto {
+  Long id;
+  String firstName;
+  String lastName;
+
+  @DtoRef
+  Long customerId;                // id-only back-reference, avoids re-embedding CustomerDto (cycle)
+}
+
+List<CustomerDto> dtos = new QCustomer()
+    .status.eq(Status.ACTIVE)
+    .mapTo(CustomerDto.class)
+    .findList();
+```
+
+Computed values (e.g. `cityOrUnknown` derived from `coalesce(billingAddress.city, 'Unknown')`) are
+**not** modeled with a `@Formula2` annotation directly on the DTO - that was explored and rejected
+(see "Formula2-on-DTO scope" below). Instead they're modeled as a plain matching field on the DTO,
+sourced from an `@Entity @View` entity that itself carries the `@Formula2` - see "Computed/aggregate
+properties" below for the worked example.
+
+`mapTo(CustomerDto.class)`:
+- Introspects `CustomerDto` (recursively, at codegen time) to derive the `select(...)`/`.fetch(...)` spec
+  automatically from the DTO's declared shape.
+- Forces `setUnmodifiable(true)` under the hood — gives fail-fast + a cheap, non-mutable source graph
+  (satisfies the fail-fast requirement without a separate flag).
+- Runs the query, then runs a mapper over the resulting entity graph, de-duplicating DTO instances by id
+  for repeated nested references (identity-aware, mirrors the source entity graph's own de-duplication).
+
+## Decisions made
+
+### Fetch spec: auto-derived from DTO shape
+
+The DTO's declared structure (fields, nested DTO types, `@DtoPath` overrides) is the single source of truth
+for what gets selected/fetched from the database. Callers do not need to separately maintain a `.fetch(...)`
+spec in parallel with the DTO — this directly addresses the original issue's pain point (DTO and query
+projection drifting out of sync).
+
+### Entry point naming: `mapTo(Dto.class)`
+
+Chosen over `asGraph(...)` / `into(...)` / overloading `findList(Class)`. Reads clearly as "map the
+resulting entity graph to this DTO type" and is unambiguous against the existing `asDto(...)` (flat,
+SQL-row-based) mechanism.
+
+### Cycle handling: codegen-time DAG check + `@DtoRef` escape hatch
+
+Because the fetch spec and mapper are both derived from the *static* DTO type graph (not live object
+traversal), cycle detection is a compile-time/codegen-time concern, not a runtime one. This is stronger
+than the common approach in the ecosystem:
+
+- **MapStruct** does not auto-detect cycles. It offers an opt-in `@Context` "cycle guard" pattern (an
+  identity map of already-mapped source -> target objects) that the developer must wire up manually to
+  avoid infinite recursion mapping bidirectional object graphs.
+- **Blaze-Persistence / QueryDSL / JOOQ record mapping** avoid the problem architecturally: view/projection
+  types are required to be a strict tree; a back-reference is modeled as an id or a much shallower type,
+  never the same full view type again.
+
+Ebean's approach: fail the build at annotation-processing time if a DTO's declared type graph is not a DAG,
+with a clear error message. Provide `@DtoRef` as an explicit escape hatch for intentional back-references
+(e.g. `Contact.customer`) — it maps only the id, not the full nested DTO, breaking the cycle by design
+rather than by runtime guard.
+
+### `@DtoPath` / `@DtoRef`: parallels for readers coming from MapStruct or Blaze-Persistence
+
+Neither annotation is a novel concept - both map onto things MapStruct and Blaze-Persistence users will
+already recognise, which is worth spelling out explicitly so it's easy to "grok fast":
+
+- **`@DtoPath("billingAddress.line1")` is Ebean's equivalent of MapStruct's dot-path `source` flattening**
+  — e.g. `@Mapping(target = "line1", source = "billingAddress.line1")`. MapStruct auto-generates a
+  null-safe chain of getter calls for a dotted `source`; `@DtoPath` does exactly the same thing, just
+  declared on the DTO field itself rather than on a mapper method parameter list. It is also close to
+  Blaze-Persistence's `@Mapping("billingAddress.line1")` on an `@EntityView` attribute, which is a JPQL
+  path expression evaluated the same way — Blaze's placement (directly on the target view property) is
+  actually the closer analogue of the two, since Ebean's `@DtoPath` is likewise placed on the DTO field.
+  The difference from Blaze: `@DtoPath` is restricted to plain getter-chain navigation (no arbitrary JPQL/
+  SQL expression) - see "Formula2-on-DTO scope" below for the boundary and why full expression support is
+  deliberately deferred.
+- **`@DtoRef` has no dedicated equivalent in either tool** - both MapStruct and Blaze would express the
+  same "just the id" mapping as a plain dot-path to `.id` (`@Mapping(source = "customer.id")` / Blaze
+  `@Mapping("customer.id")`), with no special marker for it. What `@DtoRef` adds beyond that shorthand is
+  *intent*: it tells the codegen this property is a deliberate cycle-breaking reference, so (a) it adds
+  just the association's own name (not a dotted `.id` path) to the generated fetch spec's root
+  `select(...)` - reading the FK column directly with no join, and skipped entirely if that same
+  association is already fully fetched by a `NESTED_ONE`/`NESTED_MANY` property elsewhere on the same DTO
+  (see `DtoMapperWriter.fetchGroupChainCalls()`'s `case REF` branch) - and (b) it participates in the
+  codegen-time DAG cycle check above as an explicit "this is fine, don't flag it" signal, rather than
+  requiring a suppression escape hatch bolted on afterwards.
+
+  **Bug found and fixed while building the aggregation worked example below:** the original implementation
+  excluded `REF` properties from the fetch spec *entirely*, on the assumption the id is "already available
+  off an unfetched reference without triggering a fetch/lazy load". That assumption is only true when some
+  *other* property on the same DTO happens to also fetch that association (as was always the case in the
+  existing hand-built examples). Tested directly against a bare `@ManyToOne` with no other fetch of it:
+  accessing `.getCustomer().getId()` in that case triggers a full lazy-reload of the owning row (extra SQL,
+  not free) - and for an aggregation query it's worse, since the property being grouped by must be selected
+  or the query can't group correctly at all. Fixed so `REF` always contributes its association name to the
+  root `select(...)` (deduped against any existing `NESTED_ONE`/`NESTED_MANY` fetch of the same path).
+
+### Read-only entity memory overhead: `InterceptReadOnly`
+
+`setUnmodifiable(true)` isn't just a behavioural fail-fast flag - it also swaps the per-bean intercept
+implementation to `InterceptReadOnly`, which is deliberately minimal: just a `boolean[] loaded` (one flag
+per property) and a `boolean frozen`, plus the inherited owner reference and `fullyLoadedBean` flag. Compare
+to `InterceptReadWrite` (the mutable/updatable variant), which additionally carries a `ReentrantLock`, four
+transient collaborator references (`NodeUsageCollector`, `PersistenceContext`, `BeanLoader`,
+`PreGetterCallback`), a `byte[] flags` array (per-property loaded+changed+dirty+orig-value-set state),
+`Object[] origValues`, `Exception[] loadErrors`, `MutableValueInfo[]`/`MutableValueNext[]`, and several more
+scalar bookkeeping fields. None of that is needed for a bean that will only ever be read, so
+`setUnmodifiable(true)` graphs carry meaningfully less per-instance overhead than normal fetched entities -
+relevant here because `mapTo(Dto.class)` forces `setUnmodifiable(true)` on its underlying query, making the
+*source* graph for a DTO mapping cheaper than the equivalent normal (writable) entity graph would be.
+
+### Ad-hoc computed/formula properties: model as `@Entity @View`/`@Sql`, not ad-hoc SQL-on-DTO
+
+The "fully ad-hoc SQL-on-DTO" stretch goal above (closer to Blaze's arbitrary `@Mapping` expressions) doesn't
+need to be built as a bespoke DTO-annotation-processing feature. Ebean already supports modelling read-only,
+computed, or view-backed data as ordinary entities via `@Entity` + `@View` (backed by a SQL view, e.g. one
+with aggregates/computed columns) or `@Entity` + `@Sql` (backed by arbitrary `RawSql`, no base table). Given
+that, the Blaze-Persistence-style "an entity view attribute backed by an arbitrary SQL expression" need can
+usually be satisfied by:
+
+1. Modelling the computed/derived shape as its own `@Entity @View` (or `@Sql`) "read entity" - the SQL
+   expression/aggregation lives in the view definition, not in a new annotation-processed DTO mechanism.
+   `@View`'s `name()` doesn't have to point at a genuinely separate database view - it can just point at
+   an *existing* table (e.g. `@View(name = "contact")` on a second entity class reading the same table as
+   `Contact`) purely to mark the entity as view-like/read-only, in which case Ebean's DDL generator emits
+   **no new table or view at all** for it - it's just a second lens onto the same physical data.
+2. Mapping *that* entity into a plain DTO using the existing, already-implemented `@DtoMapping` machinery -
+   no ad-hoc-SQL-on-DTO support required, since there's no computed expression left to resolve at the DTO
+   layer at all; it's just another entity-to-DTO mapping.
+3. This read entity benefits from the same `setUnmodifiable(true)`/`InterceptReadOnly` memory efficiency
+   above when used purely as `mapTo(...)` input, so there's no meaningful cost to preferring this over a
+   hypothetical native ad-hoc-SQL-on-DTO feature.
+
+This significantly narrows (and may eliminate) the case for a dedicated ad-hoc-SQL-on-DTO mechanism - it
+remains listed as an open stretch goal below primarily for the case where a computed value's SQL is genuinely
+one-off/DTO-specific and not worth promoting to a standalone `@View`/`@Sql` entity.
+
+**Worked example** (`tests/test-dto-mapping`): `ContactSummary` is `@Entity @View(name = "contact")` (no new
+DDL - reads the same table as `Contact`) with `@Formula2("concat(firstName, ' ', lastName)")` computing
+`fullName`; `ContactSummaryDto` is a plain two-field DTO; `@DtoMapping(source = ContactSummary.class, target
+= ContactSummaryDto.class)` generates `ContactSummaryDtoMapper` exactly like any other entity→DTO pair - the
+formula property is just selected like any other field (`select("id,fullName")` in the generated
+`fetchGroup()`). See `TestContactSummaryDtoMapping`.
+
+### Aggregate/group-by computed properties: `@Sum`/`@Aggregation` as `@Entity @View`, same pattern
+
+Ebean's `@Sum` (shorthand for `@Aggregation("sum($1)")`) and `@Aggregation("count(...)"/"sum(...)"/"avg(...)"/
+"min(...)"/"max(...)")` are the group-by parallel to the formula pattern above - the same `@Entity @View`
+approach applies, just with an implicit `GROUP BY` instead of a per-row computed column. Ebean auto-derives
+the `GROUP BY` clause from whichever non-aggregate properties end up in the query's `select()`/`fetch()` - so
+a second `@Entity @View(name = <same base table>)` entity with one or more `@Sum`/`@Aggregation` properties
+plus a `@ManyToOne` grouping key becomes a per-parent rollup, with **no new table/view and no explicit
+`.groupBy()` call required**. This is Ebean's parallel to Blaze-Persistence entity view correlated aggregate
+mappings, e.g. `@Mapping("SIZE(contacts)")` / `@Mapping("SUM(contacts.engagementScore)")` on an `@EntityView`.
+
+**Nuance found while building the worked example, and since fixed: `@DtoRef` originally didn't fit the
+grouping key.** `@DtoRef` was originally excluded from the generated `select()`/`fetch()` spec entirely, on
+the premise that the id is already available off an unfetched reference for an ordinary entity graph. That
+premise doesn't hold for an aggregation query: the `@ManyToOne` *is* the property being grouped by, so if
+it's never selected, the query has nothing to group by. It turned out the premise didn't fully hold for
+ordinary entity graphs either - see the `@DtoRef` bug writeup above. Fixed so `@DtoRef` now adds the
+association's own name to the root `select(...)` (reading the FK column directly, no join) - which both
+supplies the grouping key here and fixes the general-case gap.
+
+**Worked example** (`tests/test-dto-mapping`): `ContactStats` is `@Entity @View(name = "contact")` (no new
+DDL - reads the same table as `Contact`/`ContactSummary`) with `@Aggregation("count(id)") contactCount` and
+`@Sum Integer engagementScore` (a new nullable field added to `Contact` purely to have something to sum),
+grouped by its `@ManyToOne customer`. `ContactStatsDto` is a flat 3-field DTO (`customerId`, `contactCount`,
+`engagementScore`), with `customerId` mapped via plain `@DtoRef`. The generated `ContactStatsDtoMapper`:
+
+```java
+this.fetchGroup = FetchGroup.of(ContactStats.class)
+  .select("customer,contactCount,engagementScore")
+  .build();
+...
+// skip DtoMapContext, only ever a top-level mapping
+return new ContactStatsDto(
+  (source.getCustomer() == null ? null : source.getCustomer().getId()),
+  source.getContactCount(),
+  source.getEngagementScore());
+```
+
+confirmed (via `LoggedSql`) to produce `select t0.customer_id, count(t0.id), sum(t0.engagement_score) from
+contact t0 ... group by t0.customer_id` - **no join**, one row per customer, correctly summed and counted.
+See `TestContactStatsDtoMapping`.
+
+### Formula2-on-DTO scope (v1): existing entity formulas only
+
+`@Formula2` on a DTO property in v1 only pulls in a formula **already declared on the source entity** (or
+a reachable associated entity) — it does not support fully ad-hoc SQL declared directly on the DTO with no
+matching entity property. Fully ad-hoc SQL-on-DTO (closer to Blaze's arbitrary `@Mapping` expressions) is a
+separate, larger stretch goal to revisit once the core graph-mapping mechanism is proven.
+
+**Attempted and rejected for v1.** A narrower version was implemented (`@Formula2(value)` resolved exactly
+like `@DtoPath` - a dot-path getter chain - plus a codegen-time validation that the resolved entity property
+is itself `@Formula2`/`@Formula`-annotated) but was rejected: for the common case (a DTO field with the same
+name as the entity's formula property) it generated **identical code to a plain unannotated field** - the
+only difference was the validation, which wasn't judged enough distinct value to justify a new annotation
+surface. Not implemented. The only way `@Formula2`-on-DTO would add real value is the full ad-hoc-SQL
+capability described above, which remains an open stretch goal.
+
+### Mapper implementation strategy: codegen, not reflection (native-image constraint)
+
+Native-image support is a core Ebean requirement, so the entity-graph -> DTO-graph mapper must not rely on
+runtime reflection or `MethodHandles`. This ruled out an initial reflection-based spike:
+
+- Ebean's existing flat `DtoQuery` (`DtoMetaConstructor`) already uses `MethodHandles` via
+  `Lookups.getLookup()`, but there is no `reflect-config.json` / native-image reachability metadata shipped
+  for it anywhere in the repo. That existing approach is not a clean precedent to copy for a bigger,
+  native-image-first feature.
+- Instead, the approach mirrors `querybean-generator`, which already generates real `.java` source for
+  `Q*` query bean types (not reflection) — consistent with the wider avaje-ecosystem convention
+  (avaje-inject / avaje-jsonb are explicitly reflection-free via compile-time codegen).
+
+**Implementation sequencing:** hand-write the mapper in the exact shape the annotation processor will
+eventually generate (plain Java, direct getter/constructor/setter calls, zero reflection) for one concrete
+example first, to validate the mapping algorithm and API shape quickly without ever introducing throwaway
+reflective code. That hand-written mapper then becomes the target/acceptance-test shape for the
+`querybean-generator` annotation processor that automates producing it.
+
+### Codegen target: Java first
+
+The mapper generation (requirement r2) targets `querybean-generator` (the existing APT module that already
+generates `Q*` query beans, reusing its `PropertyMeta` / `ProcessingContext` machinery). Kotlin parity via
+`kotlin-querybean-generator` is deferred to a later phase — not blocking initial delivery.
+
+### Mapper composition: one mapper per entity/DTO pair, generic `DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET>` interface
+
+Rather than one large mapper inlining every nested DTO type, each entity/DTO pair gets its own small
+mapper class - mirroring MapStruct's per-type mapper generation. All mappers implement a shared generic
+interface (prototyped as `org.tests.dtomapping.DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET>` in the spike, expected to move to
+`io.ebean` as a public type once solidified):
+
+```java
+public interface DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET> {
+  TARGET map(SOURCE source);
+  default List<TARGET> mapList(List<SOURCE> source) { ... }
+}
+```
+
+A parent mapper composes nested mappers via **constructor injection**, not a static singleton:
+
+```java
+public final class CustomerDtoMapper implements DtoMapper<Customer, CustomerDto> {
+  private final DtoMapper<Address, AddressDto> addressMapper;
+
+  public CustomerDtoMapper() {
+    this(new AddressDtoMapper());
+  }
+
+  public CustomerDtoMapper(DtoMapper<Address, AddressDto> addressMapper) {
+    this.addressMapper = addressMapper;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public CustomerDto map(Customer source) {
+    if (source == null) return null;
+    return new CustomerDto(source.getId(), source.getName(), addressMapper.map(source.getBillingAddress()));
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Rationale:
+- **Composability & reuse** - the same nested DTO type (e.g. `AddressDto`) used from multiple parent DTOs
+  reuses one generated mapper class rather than duplicating inline mapping logic.
+- **Constructor injection over static state** - avoids a global mutable singleton; a no-arg constructor
+  gives the common case (default nested mapper), while an overload accepting the nested mapper explicitly
+  allows substitution (tests, customization) without touching global state.
+- **Codegen-friendly** - this shape generates naturally: one top-level mapper class per DTO type, each
+  constructor-injecting the mappers for any nested DTO types it references.
+
+## ToMany collections and identity de-duplication (dto-spike-tomany-identity)
+
+Extending the spike (`ebean-test/src/test/java/org/tests/dtomapping/`) to a `Customer` with a
+`List<Contact> contacts` ToMany, where each `Contact` has a `customer` back-reference, surfaced
+two things worth recording.
+
+### The `DtoMapper` interface threads a shared context
+
+`DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET>` was extended so that mapping is always done against a `DtoMapContext`:
+
+```java
+public interface DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET> {
+  TARGET map(SOURCE source, DtoMapContext context);
+
+  default TARGET map(SOURCE source) {
+    return map(source, new DtoMapContext());
+  }
+
+  default List<TARGET> mapList(List<SOURCE> source, DtoMapContext context) { ... }
+
+  default List<TARGET> mapList(List<SOURCE> source) {
+    return mapList(source, new DtoMapContext());
+  }
+}
+```
+
+`DtoMapContext` is an identity-keyed cache of already-mapped source -> target instances, created
+once per top-level `mapList(...)`/`map(...)` call and threaded through every nested `map(...)`
+call. This lets repeated references to the *same* source entity instance - which Ebean's own
+persistence context already de-duplicates within one query (`contact.getCustomer() == customer`
+for the enclosing `Customer`, confirmed by an existing test) - map to the *same* target DTO
+instance, rather than each producing an equal-but-distinct copy. This is what makes the mapped
+DTO output "graph shaped" rather than "tree of copies shaped", and is required for r1/r3.
+
+### Bug found and fixed: the cache must be partitioned by target type, not just source identity
+
+The first cut of `DtoMapContext` was a single `IdentityHashMap<Object, Object>` keyed only by the
+source instance. This breaks as soon as the *same* source instance legitimately needs to map to
+*two different target types* within one graph - which happens immediately with a back-reference:
+
+- The top-level `CustomerDtoMapper` maps a `Customer` -> full `CustomerDto`.
+- The nested `ContactDtoMapper`, mapping `contact.getCustomer()` (the *same* `Customer` instance,
+  by identity), maps it -> shallow `CustomerRefDto` (the `@DtoRef`-style escape hatch that avoids
+  the `Customer -> Contact -> Customer` cycle).
+
+With a single un-partitioned identity map, whichever mapper runs first "wins" the cache slot for
+that `Customer` instance, and the other mapper incorrectly receives the wrong-typed cached result
+(a `ClassCastException` at best, silently wrong data at worst). This was caught by a failing test
+during the spike and fixed by partitioning the cache per target type:
+
+```java
+public final class DtoMapContext {
+  private final Map<Class<?>, Map<Object, Object>> mappedByType = new HashMap<>();
+
+  public <S, T> T computeIfAbsent(Class<T> targetType, S source, Function<S, T> mappingFunction) {
+    Map<Object, Object> mapped = mappedByType.computeIfAbsent(targetType, t -> new IdentityHashMap<>());
+    // ... existing/create/put ...
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Each generated mapper passes its own target DTO `Class` as the first argument, so `Customer ->
+CustomerDto` and `Customer -> CustomerRefDto` are cached independently even though the key
+(`Customer` instance) is identical. **This is an implementation detail the codegen must get
+right** - worth flagging explicitly when `dto-codegen-mapper` starts, since it's easy to
+regress if the generator is written from scratch without this test coverage in front of it.
+
+### Codegen optimization: skip the `DtoMapContext` cache for types that are never nested elsewhere
+
+`DtoMapContext.computeIfAbsent` only ever produces a cache *hit* when the exact same source
+instance is presented to `map()` more than once within one top-level call - which can only happen
+when the target type is reachable via more than one path in the graph, i.e. it's used as a
+`NESTED_ONE`/`NESTED_MANY` property by some *other* `@DtoMapping` pair (e.g. `CustomerRefDto`
+reached from many `Contact`s via a shared `Customer`, or `AddressDto` shared as `billingAddress`
+across customers). A type that's only ever a top-level `mapTo(...)`/`mapList(...)` entry point can
+never receive the same source instance twice within one call - Ebean's own query engine already
+de-duplicates root entity instances - so the cache lookup/insert there is pure overhead with a
+guaranteed-never-hit `IdentityHashMap`.
+
+Since all `@DtoMapping` pairs are resolved together at codegen time (`DtoMappingReader.
+resolveAndValidate()`), it's straightforward to compute this: after cycle exclusion, walk every
+surviving `DtoBeanMeta`'s properties and mark any `nested()` target as `nestedElsewhere()`. The
+generated `map()` method then branches per mapper:
+
+```java
+// CustomerDto - never nested by another mapper, only a mapTo()/mapList() entry point
+public CustomerDto map(Customer source, DtoMapContext context) {
+  if (source == null) return null;
+  // DtoMapContext for nested mappers only
+  return new CustomerDto(source.getId(), source.getName(),
+    billingAddressMapper.map(source.getBillingAddress(), context),
+    contactsMapper.mapList(source.getContacts(), context));
+}
+
+// AddressDto - nested under CustomerDto.billingAddress, so may be shared across customers
+public AddressDto map(Address source, DtoMapContext context) {
+  if (source == null) return null;
+  // dedup using DtoMapContext, same Address instance can be reached via more than one path in the graph
+  return context.computeIfAbsent(AddressDto.class, source, s -> new AddressDto(
+    s.getId(), s.getLine1(), s.getCity()));
+}
+
+// ContactSummaryDto - flat, top-level only, no nested children at all
+public ContactSummaryDto map(ContactSummary source, DtoMapContext context) {
+  if (source == null) return null;
+  // skip DtoMapContext, only ever a top-level mapping
+  return new ContactSummaryDto(source.getId(), source.getFullName());
+}
+```
+
+Deliberately terse, single-line comments - just enough for a developer skimming generated code (e.g.
+per the earlier `@Formula2`-on-DTO worked example) to know at a glance *why* a given mapper does or
+doesn't use the cache, without spelling out the full reachability argument inline every time (that
+lives here in the design doc instead). Note `CustomerDto`'s own construction skips the cache even
+though it *has* nested children - `context` is still threaded down to `billingAddressMapper`/
+`contactsMapper` since those target types (`AddressDto`, `ContactDto`) *are* nested elsewhere and
+still need the identity cache for themselves - hence the distinct "for nested mappers only" wording
+from the "only ever a top-level mapping" case (`ContactSummaryDto`), which has no children to thread
+a context to at all.
+
+### Fetching a ToOne back-reference used only for its FK/id needs the FK property fetched too
+
+Confirmed (via a first-cut test failure) that if a ToMany's element type has a ToOne back to its
+parent (e.g. `Contact.customer`), that FK property must itself be included in the fetch
+(`.fetch("contacts", "id,firstName,lastName,customer")`) even when the mapper only reads the id
+off the reference. Omitting it throws `LazyInitialisationException: Property not loaded:
+customer` on the `getCustomer()` call itself (not merely on a property access on the returned
+reference) - i.e. the earlier "ToOne reference access alone doesn't lazy load" finding
+(dto-validate-fetch-pagination) only holds once the ToOne/FK property is itself part of the
+fetch/select spec. This reinforces r6 (auto-deriving the fetch spec from DTO shape): the codegen
+must include a ToOne property in the fetch spec whenever a DTO needing it (even just its id) is
+reachable through a ToMany, not just at the top level.
+
+### Test coverage added
+
+- `TestCustomerDtoGraphMapping` extended to cover `contacts` ToMany mapping and to assert that
+  sibling `ContactDto`s under the same customer share the identical `CustomerRefDto` instance.
+- `TestContactDtoGraphMapping` (new) - standalone `ContactDtoMapper` test focused specifically on
+  the identity de-dup guarantee and null-source handling.
+
+## Codegen foundation: avaje-prisms adopted in querybean-generator (dto-codegen-mapper, step 1)
+
+Before writing the DTO-mapper annotation-processing logic itself, adopted `avaje-prisms`
+(`io.avaje:avaje-prisms`) in `querybean-generator` as the mechanism for reading the new
+`@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef` annotations at APT time, replacing what would otherwise be more hand-rolled
+`AnnotationMirror` walking (the existing pattern in `FindDbName.java`/`ReadModuleInfo.java`,
+left as-is/unmigrated - only the *new* annotations use prisms).
+
+This mirrors the proven pattern already used in two sibling projects in the same ecosystem -
+`avaje-inject`'s `inject-generator` and `avaje-jsonb`'s `jsonb-generator` - both declare
+`@GeneratePrism(SomeAnnotation.class)` once and get a generated `SomeAnnotationPrism` with
+`isPresent(element)` / `getInstanceOn(element)` / `getOptionalOn(element)` and typed accessors
+for every annotation member (correctly handling `Class`-valued members, avoiding the classic
+`MirroredTypeException` dance).
+
+Key property preserved: `querybean-generator` has **zero runtime/compile dependencies today**
+(confirmed via `mvn dependency:list` returning "none"), matching annotations by FQN string
+constants (`Constants.java`) rather than importing the actual annotation classes - deliberately
+keeping the processor free of any dependency footprint for consumers. Adding `avaje-prisms` (to
+generate the prism wrapper) and `ebean-annotation` (to reference `@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef` as literal
+`Class` values in `@GeneratePrism(...)`) as `optional` dependencies preserves this: `mvn
+dependency:list -DincludeScope=runtime` confirms every one of these (plus their own transitive
+deps: `avaje-prism-core`, `avaje-spi-service`, `avaje-spi-core`) is marked `(optional)`, so none
+of it propagates to a project that depends on `querybean-generator` (whether as a normal
+dependency or via `annotationProcessorPaths`).
+
+New annotations were added to the separate `ebean-annotation` repo (`io.ebean.annotation`
+package, alongside `@Formula2`), not this repo:
+
+```java
+@DtoPath("billingAddress.line1")
+String billingLine1;   // rename/flatten a DTO property from a nested source path
+
+@DtoRef
+Integer customerId;    // id-only back-reference, breaks what would otherwise be a graph cycle
+```
+
+Both use `@Target({FIELD, METHOD})` and `RetentionPolicy.CLASS` - visible to the annotation
+processor (including across module boundaries, since `CLASS` retention survives in the compiled
+`.class` file) but absent from runtime reflection, consistent with DTOs remaining plain,
+framework-free types with no runtime footprint.
+
+Wiring changes in `querybean-generator`:
+- `pom.xml`: added `avaje-prisms` (`optional`, plus `annotationProcessorPaths` entry) and
+  `ebean-annotation` (`optional`) dependencies; removed the previous `-proc:none` compiler arg
+  (which would have suppressed `avaje-prisms`' own processor from running to generate the prism
+  source) - annotation processing is now scoped to exactly `avaje-prisms` via the explicit
+  `annotationProcessorPaths` list, so no other processor is auto-discovered.
+- `module-info.java`: added `requires static io.avaje.prism;` and `requires static
+  io.ebean.annotation;` (`static` = compile-time only, matching the `optional` Maven scope).
+- New `package-info.java` declaring `@GeneratePrism(DtoPath.class)` and
+  `@GeneratePrism(DtoRef.class)`, generating `DtoPathPrism`/`DtoRefPrism` into
+  `target/generated-sources/annotations`.
+
+Verified: full `querybean-generator` build + existing test suite pass unchanged, and a downstream
+full rebuild (`ebean-test` with `-am`) - which exercises the existing Q-bean codegen - also
+passes with no regressions.
+
+### Trigger mechanism: `@DtoMapping(source, target)` on a neutral package-info.java
+
+Considered and rejected: putting a `source`/entity-referencing annotation directly on the DTO
+class itself (e.g. `@Dto(Customer.class)` on `CustomerDto`). Rejected because DTO types are
+often owned/generated elsewhere (e.g. from an OpenAPI spec) and must not be forced to reference
+an internal persistence/entity type - that would leak internal domain types into a
+public-facing/generated DTO module.
+
+Instead, adopted the same pattern `avaje-jsonb` uses for external/foreign types it doesn't own
+(`@Json.Import`): a repeatable annotation declared on a *neutral* holder - a `package-info.java`
+- naming the `source` entity and `target` DTO as a pair:
+
+```java
+@DtoMapping(source = Customer.class, target = CustomerDto.class)
+@DtoMapping(source = Contact.class, target = ContactDto.class)
+package org.example.dto;
+```
+
+`@DtoMapping` (new, in `ebean-annotation`) is `@Target({PACKAGE, MODULE})`,
+`@Retention(SOURCE)` (pure codegen trigger, never needed at runtime - unlike `@DtoPath`/
+`@DtoRef` which need `CLASS` retention to remain visible to the DTO field itself),
+`@Repeatable(DtoMapping.List.class)` following Java's own repeatable-annotation idiom. Neither
+the entity nor the DTO needs any annotation of its own.
+
+**Generated mapper package placement** - also modeled directly on `avaje-jsonb`'s handling of
+`@Json.Import` for external types (`AdapterName`/`ProcessingContext.isImported`): defaults to the
+target DTO's own package, *unless* the source or target type belongs to a different Java module
+than the one being processed, in which case the generated mapper is placed in a package derived
+from the processing module's own name instead - avoiding a JPMS "split package" violation that
+would occur from generating source into a package owned by another module. An explicit
+`mapperPackage` attribute is available to override this for edge cases. Same-module (or
+non-modular/unnamed-module) projects are unaffected and just get the mapper alongside the DTO.
+
+### mapTo(Class) dispatch: Class-token API + generated compile-time-safe registry
+
+The original API sketch above (`mapTo(CustomerDto.class)`) predates the native-image/no-reflection
+decision. Rather than switching to an instance-based API (`mapTo(new CustomerDtoMapper())`),
+decided to keep the `Class`-token shape and generate a compile-time-safe registry to resolve it -
+no reflection, no `Class.forName`, just literal `Class` comparisons generated at build time, e.g.:
+
+```java
+<S, D> DtoMapper<S, D> mapperFor(Class<S> sourceType, Class<D> targetType) {
+  if (sourceType == Customer.class && targetType == CustomerDto.class) {
+    return (DtoMapper<S, D>) new CustomerDtoMapper();
+  }
+  if (sourceType == Contact.class && targetType == ContactDto.class) {
+    return (DtoMapper<S, D>) new ContactDtoMapper();
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+```
+
+Dispatch is keyed on the **(source, target) pair**, not target alone - this matches how
+`@DtoMapping(source, target)` pairs are declared, allows the same DTO type to be mapped from more
+than one source entity without ambiguity, and lets `query.mapTo(dtoType)` fail fast with a clear
+`PersistenceException` (rather than an incorrect match) when `query.getBeanType()` doesn't pair
+with the requested DTO.
+
+This mirrors the existing, already-proven `EbeanEntityRegister`/`EntityClassRegister` mechanism
+(`SimpleModuleInfoWriter.java`) that `querybean-generator` already generates per module for entity
+classes - a `List<Class<?>>` built from literal `SomeEntity.class` references, registered via
+`META-INF/services` (`ServiceLoader`, itself native-image-friendly with no extra reflection
+config needed for simple no-arg-constructor implementations). The DTO mapper registry follows the
+same per-module aggregation + `META-INF/services` registration shape, giving `mapTo(Class)` a
+concrete generated implementation to dispatch through at runtime without reflection anywhere in
+the chain.
+
+### mapTo(Dto.class) runtime wiring (implemented)
+
+`query.mapTo(dtoType)` returns a `MappedQuery<D>` (`findList()`/`findOne()`/`findOneOrEmpty()`/
+`findStream()`/`findPagedList()`/`usingMaster(boolean)`/`usingTransaction(Transaction)`/`usingConnection(Connection)`).
+On first use it resolves the generated `DtoMapper<S, D>` for the query's `(getBeanType(), dtoType)`
+pair via a `DtoMapperManager` (a `ServiceLoader`-backed aggregator over all generated
+`DtoMapperRegister`s, analogous to `DtoBeanManager`), then:
+
+- applies `mapper.fetchGroup()` to the query via `query.select(fetchGroup)` - the fetch/select spec
+  is entirely derived from the DTO's declared shape, no manual `.select()`/`.fetch()` needed;
+- forces `query.setUnmodifiable(true)` - the resulting entity graph is read-only input to the
+  mapper, and any DTO property whose source wasn't actually fetched fails fast with
+  `LazyInitialisationException` rather than silently lazy loading or returning `null`;
+- executes the query and maps the result(s) via `mapper.map(...)`/`mapper.mapList(...)`.
+
+An unregistered `(source, dtoType)` pair throws a `PersistenceException` with a suggested
+`@DtoMapping` fix, at first use (i.e. `findList()`/`findOne()`), not at `mapTo(dtoType)` call time.
+
+`MappedQuery<D>.usingMaster(boolean)`, `.usingTransaction(Transaction)`, and `.usingConnection(Connection)`
+all delegate directly to the underlying entity query, mirroring `Query`/`QueryBuilder`. This lets a
+caller retry against the master data source after a read-replica failure by calling
+`usingMaster(true)` on the *same* `MappedQuery` instance and re-invoking a find method - there's no
+need to rebuild the query and call `.mapTo(...)` again.
+
+`MappedQuery<D>.findStream()` mirrors `QueryBuilder#findStream()` - the underlying entity query is
+streamed (supporting very large result sets, potentially using multiple persistence contexts
+internally) and each entity is mapped to its target DTO lazily as the stream is consumed. One
+`DtoMapContext` is shared across the whole stream (not per-element), so identity de-duplication of
+nested DTOs (e.g. several `Contact`s sharing the same `Customer`) still holds even when the source
+entities are never materialized into one `List` at all. As with the entity-level `findStream()`,
+callers must consume it via try-with-resources to ensure the underlying resources are closed.
+
+
+## Still open / to revisit during implementation
+
+- Whether `.fetch(...)` calls can still be layered on top of a `mapTo(Dto.class)` query for explicit
+  overrides. Currently the mapper's `fetchGroup()` is the *only* source of the fetch spec - any
+  `.select()`/`.fetch()` calls made before `.mapTo(...)` are overwritten by it.
+- Whether `@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef` need additional attributes beyond a bare path/marker (e.g. an explicit
+  target type on `@DtoRef` for disambiguation) once real DTOs with more complex shapes are codegen'd.
+- Behavior when a DTO property has no matching entity property and no `@DtoPath`/`@Formula2` override
+  (fail at codegen time, most likely, consistent with the "fail fast" philosophy).
+- `@Formula2`-on-DTO mapping to Blaze-Persistence/QueryDSL-style computed properties - not yet
+  implemented (see requirements doc); a narrower validation-only variant was attempted and rejected
+  as not distinct enough from `@DtoPath` (see "Formula2-on-DTO scope" above). The broader ad-hoc-SQL
+  case likely doesn't need a dedicated DTO feature at all - see "Ad-hoc computed/formula properties"
+  above for the `@Entity @View`/`@Sql` alternative.
+- **Fetch-path collision between a `NESTED_ONE`/`NESTED_MANY` property and a `@DtoPath` property -
+  found and fixed**: `DtoMapperWriter.fetchGroupChainCalls()` builds one `.fetch(path, ...)`
+  chain-call per distinct fetch path, but the underlying `OrmQueryDetail.fetch(...)` unconditionally
+  **overwrites** (rather than merges) any existing entry for the same path key. If a DTO declared a
+  `NESTED_ONE`/`NESTED_MANY` property AND a `@DtoPath` property whose fetch-path prefix is the *exact
+  same* path (e.g. a nested `AddressDto billingAddress` alongside `@DtoPath("billingAddress.line1")`
+  on the same DTO - both resolve to fetch path `"billingAddress"`), the generator would emit two
+  `.fetch("billingAddress", ...)` calls and the second would silently discard the first's selected
+  properties. Merging wasn't practical - the nested property's `.fetch(path, mapper.fetchGroup())`
+  call passes another mapper's own pre-built, immutable, shared `FetchGroup`, so there's no clean way
+  to splice an extra scalar property into it at the call site. Fixed instead with a **fail-fast
+  compile-time error**: `DtoMapperWriter` now detects the collision and raises a clear
+  `ctx.logError(...)` (annotation-processor `ERROR` diagnostic, fails the compile) naming the
+  colliding property and fetch path, and suggesting the two ways out - move the property onto the
+  nested DTO type instead, or pick a `@DtoPath` that reaches a different, non-colliding path (as
+  `ContactDto.customerCity` already does deliberately, per its own comment, using a 3-segment path).
+  Verified empirically by compiling a small reproduction with a colliding `@DtoPath` and confirming
+  the expected error fires; a permanent regression test
+  (`DtoMapperFetchPathCollisionTest` in `querybean-generator`) now runs this same repro directly
+  through `javax.tools.JavaCompiler` with the `Processor` registered, asserting the compile fails with
+  the expected diagnostic message.
+- **Compile-time verification of `select(...).asDto(...)` (r6, aspirational) - explored and closed as
+  rejected**: raw SQL is an opaque `String` at compile time, and even the typed query-bean
+  `.select(...)` form only type-checks against the *entity* - the match to the target DTO's constructor
+  still happens at runtime via reflection (`DtoQueryPlanConstructor`), and the `.asDto(...)` call site
+  can be arbitrarily distant from the `.select(...)` call, so there's no fixed AST shape an annotation
+  processor could reliably verify (unlike QueryDSL, whose compile-time safety actually comes from typed
+  `Projections.constructor(...)`/generated Q-type constructor calls, not from checking a select-list
+  against a DTO). `mapTo(Dto.class)` already closes the underlying gap in the tractable direction - it
+  derives the select/fetch spec *from* the DTO's declared shape at APT time, so it is compile-time safe
+  by construction. Recommend `mapTo()` whenever compile-time-checked DTO projection matters, and treat
+  `asDto()`/`findDto()` as the flexible, runtime-checked escape hatch for raw/dynamic SQL. See
+  `dto-mapping-requirements.md` requirement r6.
+- **Custom property conversion (`@DtoConvert`/`@DtoMixin`, r13/r14) - implemented**: motivated by a
+  real hand-written mapper (`DriverMapper`, central-access) needing both a dependency-free scalar
+  coercion (`short` -> `boolean`) and a dependency-backed conversion (AES decryption via an injected
+  cipher). Final design (see `dto-mapping-requirements.md` section E), as built:
+  - `@DtoConvert(value = ConverterType.class, method = "name")` on a DTO property (combinable with
+    `@DtoPath`); the generator dispatches on whether the referenced method is `static` - static means a
+    direct inlined static call (no registration, covers common reusable coercions), instance means
+    dispatch via a new `DtoConverterManager.get(ConverterType.class).method(...)` call, with the
+    resolved instance wired as a real constructor parameter/field on the generated mapper (same shape
+    as existing nested-mapper constructor injection). Multiple properties on the same mapper sharing
+    the same converter type are deduplicated to a single constructor parameter/field
+    (`DtoBeanMeta.converterDeps()`).
+  - `DtoConverterManager` (`ebean-api`, `io.ebean` package) is a small, narrowly-scoped static put/get
+    bridge - the app registers an already-DI-constructed converter singleton (e.g. built by
+    avaje-inject) *before* building the `Database`. This is a deliberate, narrow exception to the
+    general no-static-mutable-state convention: `ServiceLoader`-discovered, no-arg-constructed
+    generated code (`EbeanDtoMapperRegister`) has no other way to reach an already-DI-constructed
+    singleton. `DtoConverterManager.get(type)` throws immediately if nothing was registered for that
+    type, so a missing converter fails fast at Database-startup time (an eager field initializer on
+    `EbeanDtoMapperRegister`, and equally on each mapper's own no-arg constructor, which resolves the
+    same way via `DtoConverterManager.get(...)` for standalone/test construction), not lazily on first
+    use - `DtoMapperRegister`'s `mapperFor(...)` signature and `DtoMapperManager` are otherwise
+    completely unchanged, as originally planned.
+  - Two alternatives were explored and rejected first: (a) a `DtoMapContext.service(Class)` lookup -
+    wrong lifetime, `DtoMapContext` is a short-lived per-call identity-cache only; (b) a
+    `ServiceLoader`-discovered `DtoConverterSource` SPI mirroring `DtoMapperRegister` itself - can't
+    bridge to an *already* DI-constructed dependency without reconstructing/duplicating it.
+  - `@DtoMixin(Target.class)` - a companion type overlaying `@DtoPath`/`@DtoConvert`/`@DtoRef`
+    annotations onto a DTO that can't be annotated directly (e.g. OpenAPI-generated). Discovered via
+    `roundEnv.getElementsAnnotatedWith(...)` (added to `Processor.getSupportedAnnotationTypes()`,
+    since - unlike `@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef`/`@DtoConvert` - a mixin doesn't annotate an already-iterated
+    field of a known `@DtoMapping` target, so it can't be found lazily). `DtoMappingReader` resolves
+    each target property's annotations from the field itself first, falling back to a same-named
+    method on the registered mixin (`DtoMappingReader.prismOn(...)`) - directly mirrors avaje-jsonb's
+    proven `@Json.MixIn` mechanism.
+  - Implemented in `ebean-annotation` (`DtoConvert`, `DtoMixin`), `ebean-api` (`DtoConverterManager`),
+    and `querybean-generator` (`DtoConverterMeta`, `DtoBeanMeta.converterDeps()`,
+    `DtoMappingReader`/`DtoMapperWriter`/`DtoMapperRegisterWriter` changes). Test coverage:
+    `tests/test-dto-mapping` `TestDtoConvert` (static + instance dispatch, fail-fast unregistered-type
+    check) and `TestDtoMixin` (mixin overlay, including instance-dispatch conversion resolved purely
+    from mixin-declared annotations). The instance-dispatch converter is registered via a
+    `DatabaseConfigProvider` (ServiceLoader hook run before the `Database` is built) rather than a test
+    `@BeforeAll`, since `EbeanDtoMapperRegister`'s mapper fields (including any needing
+    `DtoConverterManager`) are all constructed eagerly during `Database` startup, which can be
+    triggered by whichever test class in the module happens to run first.
+
+
+## References
+
+- Requirements: [dto-mapping-requirements.md](./dto-mapping-requirements.md)
+- Issue: https://github.com/ebean-orm/ebean/issues/2540
+- MapStruct cycle mapping: https://mapstruct.org/documentation/stable/reference/html/#mapping-object-cycles

docs/dto-mapping-requirements.md

@@ -0,0 +1,270 @@
+# Nested DTO Mapping — Requirements
+
+Design requirements distilled from [issue #2540 "Support nested DTO mapping"](https://github.com/ebean-orm/ebean/issues/2540),
+reviewed against comparable features in QueryDSL (`@QueryProjection`) and Blaze-Persistence (`@EntityView`).
+
+## Context
+
+Ebean already supports:
+
+- Partial/flat DTO queries via `DB.findDto(...)` and `query.select(...).asDto(Dto.class)`.
+- `@Formula` / `@Formula2` — path-based, auto-joined computed SQL expressions, but only on managed entities.
+- `query.setUnmodifiable(true)` — builds a read-only, non-lazy-loading entity graph (`InterceptReadOnly`,
+  see PR #2626). Accessing an unloaded property throws `LazyInitializationException`; mutating throws
+  `UnmodifiableEntityException`.
+
+Unlike Hibernate, Ebean does dirty-detection on the bean itself (no dynamic proxies), so there is very little
+extra cost to an entity-graph query versus a DTO query. This makes an **unmodifiable entity graph** a cheap,
+natural intermediate representation to map *from* when producing a DTO graph — we don't need Blaze/Hibernate's
+proxy-based `EntityView` mechanism to get the performance benefit they are chasing.
+
+The goal is nested DTO graph support (DTOs containing ToOne/ToMany child DTOs), not just today's flat DTOs,
+while keeping DTOs as plain, framework-unattached classes.
+
+## Accepted Requirements
+
+### A. Nested DTO graphs
+
+- **Support nested DTO graphs (ToOne/ToMany)**
+  Allow mapping a query result into a DTO graph where DTO fields are themselves DTOs (ToOne) or
+  `List`/`Set<Dto>` (ToMany), not just flat DTOs. Use the existing `setUnmodifiable(true)` entity graph as
+  the intermediate, de-duplicated, identity-consistent source to map from.
+  *Inspiration: Blaze `@EntityView` subviews/subview collections; Jimmer fetcher DTOs.*
+
+- **Auto-generated entity → DTO graph mapper**
+  Given an unmodifiable entity graph plus a target nested DTO type, generate (via annotation processing,
+  reflection-free) a mapper that walks the graph and populates the DTO graph, matching properties by
+  name/type with override annotations for renames, computed values, and collection element types.
+  *Inspiration: Blaze `@EntityView` + subview mapping; conceptually similar to MapStruct but Ebean-generated
+  and graph/identity aware.*
+
+- **Identity-aware de-duplication in nested collections**
+  When mapping nested collections referencing the same underlying entity instance multiple times, reuse the
+  same DTO instance (mirrors Blaze/Jimmer identity semantics) rather than producing independent copies.
+  *Inspiration: Blaze/Jimmer identity handling.*
+
+### B. Formula-style DTO annotations
+
+- **`@Formula2`-like annotations on DTO fields**
+  Bring the existing `@Formula` / `@Formula2` concept (auto-joined, path-based computed SQL expressions) to
+  DTO classes so a DTO field can request a computed/aggregated value with the join auto-derived, instead of
+  only being available on managed entities.
+  *Inspiration: User suggestion; Ebean `@Formula2`; Blaze `@Mapping` computed expressions.*
+  *Status: a narrower version (pulling in an existing entity-level `@Formula2` by path) was implemented and
+  then rejected - for the common same-name case it generated code identical to a plain unannotated field, so
+  the annotation added no real value beyond a codegen-time validation. See `docs/dto-mapping-design.md`
+  ("Formula2-on-DTO scope" and "Ad-hoc computed/formula properties" sections). The broader goal - arbitrary
+  ad-hoc computed SQL on a DTO field - is better served by modelling the computed value as its own
+  `@Entity @View`/`@Sql` read entity and mapping *that* into a plain DTO, reusing the existing (already
+  accepted) nested-DTO mapping machinery rather than a new DTO-level annotation.
+
+- **Path-based property mapping annotation on DTO**
+  Allow a DTO field or constructor param to be annotated with a source path expression (e.g. `parent.name`)
+  so Ebean can auto-derive the select clause plus joins for nested/renamed properties, reducing manual
+  constructor wiring for non-trivial mappings.
+  *Inspiration: Blaze `@Mapping`; QueryDSL constructor expressions.*
+
+### C. Compile-time safety
+
+- **Compile-time verification of `select(...).asDto(...)` mapping** *(explored, rejected as impractical -
+  `mapTo()` accepted as the alternative)*
+  Today `select(props).asDto(Dto.class)` is only checked at runtime. Explored an annotation-processor
+  based mechanism to verify at compile time that selected properties match the DTO constructor or setters,
+  mirroring QueryDSL's `@QueryProjection` compile-time Q-type generation. Rejected as impractical: raw SQL
+  is an opaque `String` at compile time, and even the typed query-bean `.select(...)` form only
+  type-checks against the *entity* - the match to the target DTO still happens at runtime via reflection
+  (`DtoQueryPlanConstructor`), and the `.asDto(...)` call site can be arbitrarily distant from the
+  `.select(...)` call, so there's no fixed AST shape an annotation processor could reliably verify.
+  QueryDSL's actual compile-time safety comes from a different mechanism entirely - typed
+  `Projections.constructor(...)`/generated Q-type constructor calls, not from checking an
+  independently-built select-list against a DTO. `mapTo(Dto.class)` (see section A) already closes the
+  underlying gap in the opposite, tractable direction: it derives the select/fetch spec *from* the DTO's
+  declared shape at APT time, so it is compile-time safe by construction, with no separate select-list to
+  drift out of sync. Recommendation: document `mapTo()` as the compile-time-safe answer for DTO
+  projections, and treat `asDto()`/`findDto()` explicitly as the flexible, runtime-checked escape hatch
+  for raw/dynamic SQL.
+  *Inspiration: QueryDSL `@QueryProjection` compile-time Q-type generation.*
+
+- **Fail-fast on unmapped or lazy property access**
+  Ensure a clear, documented, minimal-ceremony way to fail fast if code touches a property not included in
+  the query projection, instead of silently lazy loading or returning null. `query.setUnmodifiable(true)`
+  already satisfies this (throws `LazyInitializationException`) — document/promote it as the answer, and
+  evaluate whether a lighter-weight flag decoupled from full unmodifiable/read-only semantics is needed.
+  *Inspiration: Original issue ask; already solved via `setUnmodifiable()` (PR #2626 `InterceptReadOnly`).*
+
+### D. Fetch strategy and performance
+
+- **Fetch strategy control for DTO graph relationships**
+  Existing entity query fetch hints (join vs. select/subselect secondary query, `+query`/`+lazy`) should
+  transparently carry over when the target of the query is a DTO graph rather than an entity graph.
+  `query.mapTo(Dto.class)` applies the DTO-derived `FetchGroup` only when the query has no
+  `select()`/`fetch()` already set - a manually tuned fetch spec always takes precedence and is never
+  overridden, allowing manual query optimisation when needed (at the cost of falling back to the
+  existing fail-fast-on-unmapped-property behaviour if the manual spec doesn't cover what the DTO needs).
+  *Inspiration: Blaze FETCH/SELECT/SUBSELECT fetch strategies.*
+
+- **Pagination support for DTO graph queries**
+  Confirm existing pagination works unchanged when projecting into nested DTO graphs.
+  *Inspiration: Blaze pagination and keyset pagination support.*
+
+### E. Custom property conversion
+
+- **Per-property custom scalar conversion (`@DtoConvert`)**
+  Motivated by real hand-written mapper code (`DriverMapper`, central-access) doing per-property scalar
+  coercion (`short` -> `boolean`) and dependency-backed conversion (AES decryption via an injected cipher).
+  Introduce a `@DtoConvert(value = ConverterType.class, method = "name")` annotation (combinable with
+  `@DtoPath` for source-getter override) on a DTO property. The generator dispatches based on whether the
+  referenced method is `static`:
+  - **Static method** -> a direct static call is inlined (`ConverterType.method(source.getX())`), zero
+    ceremony, no registration - covers common, reusable, dependency-free scalar coercions (e.g.
+    `short`/`boolean`, enum <-> `String`) that could apply across many unrelated entity/DTO pairs.
+  - **Instance method** -> dispatched via `DtoConverterManager.get(ConverterType.class).method(source.getX())`
+    and wired as a real constructor parameter/field on the generated mapper (same shape as existing
+    nested-mapper constructor injection) - covers conversions needing a real dependency (e.g. a cipher).
+  `DtoConverterManager` is a small, deliberately-scoped static put/get bridge: the app registers an
+  already-DI-constructed converter singleton (e.g. built by avaje-inject) *before* building the `Database`.
+  This is a narrow, accepted exception to the general no-static-mutable-state convention - it exists solely
+  to bridge an already-DI-constructed singleton into `ServiceLoader`-discovered, no-arg-constructed generated
+  code, which cannot otherwise reach a DI container. `DtoConverterManager.get(type)` throws immediately if
+  nothing was registered, so a missing converter fails fast at Database-startup time (an eager field
+  initializer on the generated `EbeanDtoMapperRegister`), not lazily on first use.
+  *Design exploration considered and rejected two alternatives first: (a) a `DtoMapContext.service(Class)`
+  lookup - rejected because `DtoMapContext` is a short-lived per-call identity-cache only, wrong lifetime for
+  a real singleton dependency; (b) a `ServiceLoader`-discovered `DtoConverterSource` SPI mirroring
+  `DtoMapperRegister` itself - rejected because a `ServiceLoader`-instantiated (no-arg) source cannot bridge
+  to an *already* DI-constructed dependency (e.g. a cipher needing config/secrets) without reconstructing it
+  itself, duplicating/bypassing the app's own DI-managed instance.*
+  *Inspiration: `DriverMapper` (central-access) hand-written pattern; MapStruct qualified converter methods.*
+  *Status: implemented - `@DtoConvert` (ebean-annotation), `io.ebean.DtoConverterManager` (ebean-api), and
+  querybean-generator codegen support (static/instance dispatch, constructor wiring deduplicated by converter
+  type). Test coverage: `tests/test-dto-mapping` `TestDtoConvert`.*
+
+- **`@DtoMixin` for DTOs that cannot be annotated directly**
+  Some DTOs are generated (e.g. from an OpenAPI spec) and not editable/annotatable, so `@DtoPath`/
+  `@DtoConvert`/`@DtoRef` cannot always be placed directly on the DTO. Introduce a `@DtoMixin(Target.class)`
+  companion interface/type, discovered by scanning the compilation round and overlaying its per-property
+  annotations onto the real target's properties by name-match - directly mirrors avaje-jsonb's
+  `@Json.MixIn` mechanism (`KingfisherMixin`/`CrewMateMixIn` pattern), a proven prior-art solution to the
+  exact same "can't annotate a generated/unowned type" problem.
+  *Inspiration: avaje-jsonb `@Json.MixIn`.*
+  *Status: implemented - `@DtoMixin` (ebean-annotation) and querybean-generator round-scanning/overlay
+  support (matches mixin methods to target properties by name, applying whichever of `@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef`/
+  `@DtoConvert` is present as if declared on the target field itself). Test coverage: `tests/test-dto-mapping`
+  `TestDtoMixin`.*
+
+### F. DI-friendly manual mapper usage
+
+- **Public `DtoMapperManager` with `get(Class<T> mapperType)` for DI**
+  Motivated by `DriverMapper`/`DriverService` (central-access): `DriverMapper` is a hand-written
+  `@Component` constructor-injected into `DriverService`. Moved `DtoMapperManager` from internal
+  (`io.ebeaninternal.server.dto`) to public `io.ebean` - unchanged `mapperFor(source, dto)`, plus a new
+  `get(Class<T> mapperType)` keyed by the generated mapper's own concrete class (e.g.
+  `manager.get(CustomerDtoMapper.class)`), for direct/concrete-typed DI injection. `DtoMapperRegister`
+  gained a default `mapperOfType(Class<T>)` method (non-breaking); the generator emits the real if-chain
+  body (mirrors `mapperFor`'s if-chain). `DtoMapperManager` has zero `Database` dependency (constructor
+  only does `ServiceLoader.load(DtoMapperRegister.class)`), so it can be constructed standalone,
+  independent of/before a `Database` - e.g. as an avaje-inject bean.
+  *Inspiration: `DriverMapper`/`DriverService` (central-access).*
+  *Status: implemented.*
+
+- **`DtoMapperManager` sharing via `DatabaseBuilder.putServiceObject`**
+  So `query.mapTo()` and application-injected mappers share the exact same `DtoMapperManager` instance
+  (and hence the same underlying generated mapper singletons) rather than each independently constructing
+  its own, `InternalConfiguration` checks `config.getServiceObject(DtoMapperManager.class)` first (mirrors
+  the existing `AutoMigrationRunner`/`GeoTypeProvider` `putServiceObject`/`getServiceObject` pattern),
+  falling back to constructing a default `new DtoMapperManager()` if none was supplied.
+  *Inspiration: user proposal following `DriverMapper`/`DriverService` review.*
+  *Status: implemented.*
+
+*Rejected: generator-emitted `builder(source)` method* - `DriverMapper` exposes `builder(cDriver)`
+returning a partially-populated `DriverBuilder` so callers can add extra caller-supplied fields (e.g.
+fleets) before `build()`. Rejected as a generator feature - `Driver`/`DriverSummary` already use
+avaje-recordbuilder's `@RecordBuilder`, which generates `Target.builder(existingInstance)`
+(seed-from-instance). The same effect is already achievable with zero ebean changes:
+`mapper.map(source)` then `Builder.builder(mapped).extraField(x).build()`. Documented as a recipe
+instead (see "Recipe: adding extra caller-supplied fields after mapping" in
+`docs/guides/mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md`).
+
+### G. Large-target construction and shape variants
+
+- **Builder-based target construction for large DTOs**
+  Motivated by `UserService`/`User` (central-access): `User` is a 24-field OpenAPI-generated record with
+  a `@RecordBuilder`-generated `UserBuilder`, hand-mapped via a long fluent builder chain rather than a
+  positional constructor to stay readable/refactor-safe. The generator auto-detects a RecordBuilder-style
+  builder on the target (static `Target.builder()` + fluent per-property setters + `build()`) and uses
+  `Target.builder().prop(x)....build()` instead of `new Target(a, b, c, ...)` whenever (a) a builder is
+  detected and (b) the target has more than a threshold number of properties (default 5), falling back to
+  the positional constructor otherwise. An explicit `@DtoMapping` attribute (`builder = AUTO | ALWAYS |
+  NEVER`) overrides the heuristic in either direction. Applies regardless of whether the target class is
+  hand-authored or foreign/generated (e.g. an OpenAPI record) - `@DtoMapping` is already declared
+  externally via `package-info.java`, not on the target class, so this was already compatible with
+  foreign target types.
+  *Inspiration: `UserService`/`User` (central-access).*
+  *Status: implemented.*
+
+- **Named mapper variants excluding nested paths, sharing one generated class**
+  Motivated by `UserService`/`User` (central-access): `CUser` -> `User` is mapped in two shapes - with
+  nested `fleets` (`findUserByGid`) and without (`findAll`, bulk listing) - to avoid an unnecessary
+  join/fetch on the common bulk-listing path. Keeps the existing "shape always derived from declaration,
+  fetch spec always wins" philosophy (rejected relaxing that rule / rejected a runtime
+  is-property-loaded auto-skip check as less deterministic). The same `(source, target)` pair can be
+  declared more than once in `package-info.java` via a named variant, e.g.
+  `@DtoMapping(source = CUser.class, target = User.class)` (base/full) plus
+  `@DtoMapping(source = CUser.class, target = User.class, name = "noFleets", exclude = "fleets")`
+  (variant). Both variants are generated into the **same** mapper class (one class per target, not one
+  per variant) and share a single private `build(source, context, boolean includeXxx, ...)` method
+  containing the common field population written once; each excluded nested path becomes a `boolean
+  includeXxx` parameter of that shared method rather than a precomputed value, so `build()` still
+  evaluates every property - included or excluded - inline, at its own declared field position (a
+  `includeFleets ? fleetsMapper.mapList(...) : List.of()` ternary in place, not hoisted out as a
+  pre-evaluated call argument). This preserves the DTO's declared property order as the true evaluation
+  order regardless of which properties a variant happens to exclude. The base `map()` passes `true` for
+  every flag; each named variant (exposed as a same-named accessor, e.g. `noFleets()`, returning a single
+  shared/cached instance of its own small `DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET>`-implementing inner class - not
+  reconstructed per call) passes `false` for the paths it excludes and omits that path from its own
+  `fetchGroup`. Selected via a new `query.mapTo(Class<D> dtoType, DtoMapper<T, D> mapper)` overload
+  taking an already-resolved mapper instance directly (e.g. `query.mapTo(User.class,
+  userMapper.noFleets())`) - no string-based variant lookup, and no changes needed to
+  `DtoMapperRegister`/`DtoMapperManager`.
+  *Inspiration: `UserService`/`User` (central-access).*
+  *Status: implemented.*
+
+### H. Record entity sources
+
+- **Record-style (bare/fluent) accessors on the source (entity) side**
+  Ebean supports entity beans declared as Java `record`s (e.g. `public record CourseRecordEntity(@Id long id,
+  String name, String notes) {}` - see `test-java16`), whose only accessor shape is the bare component name
+  (`active()`, `name()`, `id()`) - never `getXxx()`/`isXxx()`. This bare-accessor convention isn't limited to
+  an actual `record` type though - an ordinary class can just as easily expose bare/fluent-style accessors
+  with no `get`/`is` prefix at all. The generator resolves the real accessor for each source type (the direct
+  source, or an intermediate `@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef` association type) by checking which shape actually exists as
+  a method, in order: (1) `isXxx()` returning `boolean` (JavaBean boolean convention), (2) `getXxx()` (JavaBean
+  convention), (3) the bare `propertyName()` itself - falling back to a guessed `getXxx()` only if none of the
+  three are found. Resolution is entirely name/existence-based (no dependency on whether the type is actually
+  a `record`). The Ebean bean-property name used in generated `FetchGroup.select(...)`/`.fetch(...)` calls is
+  tracked directly from the original property/segment name (not reverse-parsed from the resolved accessor's
+  method name), so it's correct regardless of which of the three accessor shapes was used.
+  *Inspiration: Ebean's own record-entity support (`test-java16`); user-reported gap during review.*
+  *Status: implemented.*
+
+## Rejected Requirements
+
+These were considered and explicitly rejected as out of scope:
+
+- **DTO as interface / dynamic proxy views** — Blaze `@EntityView` defines views as interfaces backed by
+  runtime proxies. This conflicts with Ebean's preference for plain, framework-unattached DTO classes.
+- **Updatable or creatable entity views (persist through DTO)** — Blaze's `@UpdatableEntityView` /
+  `@CreatableEntityView` cascade persist/update through the view. This would duplicate Ebean's existing
+  entity persistence model and introduce a second, ambiguous dirty-checking/cascade model.
+- **New predicate/filter DSL for subview collections** — Blaze allows filter expressions directly in
+  `@Mapping` (e.g. filtering a collection by an attribute value). Ebean already has typed query bean
+  predicates and `.filterMany()` for filtering child collections in queries; no new embedded filter
+  expression language is needed on the DTO itself.
+
+## References
+
+- Issue: https://github.com/ebean-orm/ebean/issues/2540
+- PR #2626: `InterceptReadOnly` / `InterceptReadWrite` split enabling the unmodifiable entity graph fast path
+- Ebean docs: https://ebean.io/docs/query/option#unmodifiable
+- QueryDSL: `@QueryProjection` (constructor-based, compile-time-checked projections)
+- Blaze-Persistence Entity Views: https://persistence.blazebit.com/documentation/1.6/entity-view/manual/en_US/

docs/guides/AGENTS.md

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ Key guides (fetch and follow when performing the relevant task):
 - Migrate to `Database.builder()`: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/migrating-to-database-builder.md
 - Migrate JSON APIs from Jackson core to avaje-json-core: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/migrating-json-jackson-core-to-avaje-json-core.md
 - Write queries with query beans: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/writing-ebean-query-beans.md
+- Mapping entity graphs to DTOs (`mapTo`): https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md
+- Derived / formula properties (`@Formula`, `@Formula2`): https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/derived-formula-properties.md
 - Persisting and transactions: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/persisting-and-transactions-with-ebean.md
 - Query metrics and naming: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/ebean-query-metrics.md
 - Query plan capture: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/ebean-query-plan-capture.md

docs/guides/README.md

@@ -40,13 +40,16 @@ existing Maven project. Complete the steps in order.
 | [Entity Bean Creation](entity-bean-creation.md) | How to generate clean, idiomatic Ebean entity beans for AI agents; patterns and anti-patterns; field visibility and accessor guidance; minimal boilerplate |
 | [Lombok with Ebean entity beans](lombok-with-ebean-entity-beans.md) | Which Lombok annotations to use and avoid on entity beans; why `@Data` is incompatible with Ebean; how to use `@Getter` + `@Setter` + `@Accessors(chain = true)` |
 | [`@DbJson` mapping support (built-in vs Jackson)](dbjson-mapping-support.md) | Which `@DbJson` / `@DbJsonB` property types are handled by the built-in avaje-json-core support versus which require `ebean-jackson-mapper` (Jackson `ObjectMapper`); supported `String`/`List`/`Set`/`Map` matrix; enum-key and `@DbArray` notes |
+| [Derived / formula properties (`@Formula`, `@Formula2`)](derived-formula-properties.md) | Read-only computed properties: physical-SQL `@Formula` (with `${ta}` and hand-written joins) versus logical path-based `@Formula2` (auto-resolved joins); use in `select`/`where`/`orderBy`; default inclusion and the `@Transient` opt-out |
 
 ## Querying
 
 | Guide | Description |
 |-------|-------------|
 | [Write Ebean queries with query beans](writing-ebean-query-beans.md) | Step-by-step guidance for AI agents to write type-safe Ebean queries; choose the right terminal method; tune `select()` / `fetch()` / `fetchQuery()`; and project to DTOs when entity beans are not the right output |
+| [Mapping entity graphs to DTOs (`mapTo`)](mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md) | Map a nested entity graph query result to a nested DTO graph via `query.mapTo(Dto.class)`; `@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef` for renamed/flattened/id-only properties; identity-aware de-dup via `DtoMapContext`; computed/aggregate DTO values via `@Entity @View` + `@Formula2`/`@Sum`/`@Aggregation`; comparison with the flat `asDto()` pipeline |
 | [Immutable bean cache for read-only references](immutable-bean-cache.md) | Use `ImmutableBeanCache` and `ImmutableBeanCaches.loading(...)` to resolve assoc-one references in read-only/unmodifiable queries, including secondary `fetchQuery`/`fetchLazy` loads |
+| [Using `RawSql` with Ebean](using-rawsql-with-ebean.md) | Choose between `RawSqlBuilder.parse()`, `unparsed()`, and `withPlaceholders()`; the `${where}`/`${andWhere}`/`${having}`/`${andHaving}` placeholder reference for CTEs, window functions, and subqueries; column mapping; and using `RawSql` with query beans |
 
 ## Persisting & transactions
 
@@ -151,6 +154,7 @@ Key guides (fetch and follow these when performing the relevant task):
 - Database configuration: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/add-ebean-postgres-database-config.md
 - Migrate to `Database.builder()`: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/migrating-to-database-builder.md
 - Write queries with query beans: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/writing-ebean-query-beans.md
+- Mapping entity graphs to DTOs (`mapTo`): https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md
 - Immutable bean cache for read-only references: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/immutable-bean-cache.md
 - Ebean OpenTelemetry tracing: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/add-ebean-opentelemetry.md
 - Query metrics and naming: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/ebean-query-metrics.md
@@ -180,6 +184,7 @@ Key guides (fetch and follow these when performing the relevant task):
 - Database configuration: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/add-ebean-postgres-database-config.md
 - Migrate to `Database.builder()`: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/migrating-to-database-builder.md
 - Write queries with query beans: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/writing-ebean-query-beans.md
+- Mapping entity graphs to DTOs (`mapTo`): https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md
 - Persisting and transactions: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/persisting-and-transactions-with-ebean.md
 - Test container setup: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/add-ebean-postgres-test-container.md
 - DB migration generation: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ebean-orm/ebean/HEAD/docs/guides/add-ebean-db-migration-generation.md

docs/guides/add-ebean-postgres-maven-pom.md

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ Inside the `<dependencies>` block, add the PostgreSQL JDBC driver:
 <dependency>
     <groupId>org.postgresql</groupId>
     <artifactId>postgresql</artifactId>
-    <version>42.7.8</version>
+    <version>42.7.11</version>
 </dependency>
 ```
 

docs/guides/derived-formula-properties.md

@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+# Guide: Derived / formula properties — `@Formula` and `@Formula2`
+
+## Purpose
+
+A *formula property* is a read-only entity property whose value is computed by a SQL
+expression at query time rather than stored in its own column. Ebean has two
+annotations for this:
+
+- **`@Formula`** — you write the **physical SQL** for the `select` (and any `join`),
+  using the `${ta}` placeholder for the base table alias. Maximum control; verbose.
+- **`@Formula2`** — you write a **logical expression** using dot-notation property
+  paths (e.g. `parent.familyName`). Ebean translates the paths to the correct table
+  aliases and **adds the required JOINs automatically**.
+
+`@Formula2` is intended as the easier, path-based replacement for `@Formula`. Both
+produce read-only properties and behave the same way with respect to default
+inclusion (see [Default inclusion](#default-inclusion-and-transient)).
+
+---
+
+## Quick comparison
+
+| | `@Formula` | `@Formula2` |
+|---|---|---|
+| Expression | Physical SQL columns + aliases | Logical property paths |
+| Table alias | `${ta}` placeholder you write | Resolved automatically |
+| Joins | You write the `join` clause | Added automatically from the paths |
+| Read only | ✅ | ✅ |
+| Included by default | ✅ (use `@Transient` to opt out) | ✅ (use `@Transient` to opt out) |
+| Usable in `select` / `where` / `orderBy` / `having` | ✅ | ✅ |
+| Creates a DB column (DDL) | ❌ | ❌ |
+
+---
+
+## `@Formula` — physical SQL
+
+You supply the SQL `select` fragment, and an optional `join`. Use `${ta}` wherever you
+need the base table alias of the entity.
+
+```java
+@Entity
+public class ParentPerson {
+
+  // aggregation via a derived join; ${ta} is the base table alias
+  @Formula(select = "coalesce(f2.child_count, 0)",
+           join = "left join (select parent_id, count(*) as child_count"
+                + " from child group by parent_id) f2 on f2.parent_id = ${ta}.id")
+  Integer childCount;
+
+  // coalesce across a joined table using an explicit join alias (j1)
+  @Formula(select = "coalesce(${ta}.family_name, j1.family_name)",
+           join = "join parent_person j1 on j1.id = ${ta}.parent_id")
+  String effectiveFamilyName;
+}
+```
+
+Notes:
+- The `join` string must start with `join` or `left join`.
+- You manage the join aliases (`j1`, `f2`, …) yourself and reference them in `select`.
+- `@Formula` is `@Repeatable` and supports a `platforms()` restriction.
+
+---
+
+## `@Formula2` — logical property paths
+
+Write the expression using property paths. Ebean resolves each path to the right table
+alias and adds the joins it needs.
+
+```java
+@Entity
+public class ParentPerson {
+
+  @ManyToOne
+  GrandParentPerson parent;
+
+  String familyName;
+
+  // Ebean automatically left joins 'parent' and resolves the aliases
+  @Formula2("coalesce(familyName, parent.familyName)")
+  String derivedFamilyName;
+}
+```
+
+A query selecting `derivedFamilyName` produces (roughly):
+
+```sql
+select t0.id, coalesce(t0.family_name, t1.family_name)
+from parent_person t0
+left join grand_parent_person t1 on t1.id = t0.parent_id
+```
+
+Multi-level paths join through each step:
+
+```java
+// joins parent and parent.parent automatically
+@Formula2("coalesce(familyName, parent.familyName, parent.parent.familyName)")
+String deepFamilyName;
+```
+
+`@Formula2` works wherever a normal property does — the required joins are added
+automatically in each case:
+
+```java
+// selected explicitly
+DB.find(ParentPerson.class).select("derivedFamilyName").findList();
+
+// used in where (auto-joins even when not selected)
+DB.find(ParentPerson.class).where().eq("derivedFamilyName", "Smith").findList();
+
+// used in order by
+DB.find(ParentPerson.class).orderBy("derivedFamilyName").findList();
+
+// referenced via a path from another bean
+DB.find(ChildPerson.class).where().eq("parent.derivedFamilyName", "Smith").findList();
+```
+
+It also resolves correctly inside nested `fetch()` joins, so a `@Formula2` on a fetched
+association is computed with its own joins relative to that association.
+
+Notes:
+- The expression supports any SQL function whose arguments are logical property paths.
+- `@Formula2` supports a `platforms()` restriction.
+- No `${ta}` and no hand-written join — that is the point of `@Formula2`.
+
+---
+
+## Default inclusion and `@Transient`
+
+Both annotations are **included in queries by default** (just like a normal mapped
+property). When no explicit `select()`/`fetch()` is given, the formula — and for
+`@Formula2` the joins it requires — are added to the query.
+
+Add `@Transient` to make the formula **opt-in**: it is then **not** selected by default
+and must be requested explicitly via `select()` or `fetch()`. Do this when the formula
+(or the joins it needs) is relatively expensive.
+
+```java
+// not selected by default; must be requested explicitly
+@Transient
+@Formula2("coalesce(familyName, parent.familyName)")
+String lazyDerivedFamilyName;
+```
+
+```java
+DB.find(ParentPerson.class)
+  .select("lazyDerivedFamilyName")   // explicitly included, join auto-added
+  .findList();
+```
+
+This is the same `@Transient` opt-out mechanism used by `@Formula`.
+
+---
+
+## Which should I use?
+
+- Prefer **`@Formula2`** for expressions over property paths (coalesce/case/functions
+  across associations). It is shorter, refactor-friendly, and the joins stay correct as
+  the model changes.
+- Use **`@Formula`** when you need raw SQL that does not map cleanly to property paths —
+  for example a derived aggregate sub-select / dynamic view, or vendor-specific SQL.
+
+For read models that exist only to carry computed values, also consider projecting to a
+DTO instead of mapping the formula onto the entity — see
+[writing-ebean-query-beans.md](writing-ebean-query-beans.md).

docs/guides/mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md

@@ -0,0 +1,785 @@
+# Guide: Mapping entity graphs to DTOs — `query.mapTo(Dto.class)`
+
+## Purpose
+
+`query.mapTo(SomeDto.class)` maps an entity query result to a **nested DTO graph** —
+DTO fields can themselves be DTOs (`ToOne`) or `List<Dto>`/`Set<Dto>` (`ToMany`), not
+just flat scalar columns. Ebean generates the mapper (reflection-free), automatically
+derives the query's `select()`/`fetch()` spec from the target DTO's declared shape, and
+forces `setUnmodifiable(true)` so any property the mapper needs but wasn't fetched fails
+fast with `LazyInitialisationException` instead of silently lazy loading.
+
+This is distinct from the existing flat `asDto(Dto.class)` — see
+[Quick comparison](#quick-comparison-mapto-vs-asdto-vs-plain-entity-query) below.
+
+```java
+Optional<CustomerDto> dto = new QCustomer()
+  .id.eq(customerId)
+  .mapTo(CustomerDto.class)
+  .findOneOrEmpty();
+```
+
+```java
+List<CustomerDto> dtos = DB.find(Customer.class)
+  .where().eq("status", Status.ACTIVE)
+  .mapTo(CustomerDto.class)   // no .select()/.fetch() needed - derived from CustomerDto's shape
+  .findList();
+```
+
+---
+
+## Quick comparison: `mapTo()` vs `asDto()` vs plain entity query
+
+| | `mapTo(Dto.class)` | `asDto(Dto.class)` | Plain entity query |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Shape | Nested DTO **graph** (ToOne/ToMany) | Flat, single-row DTO | Entity graph |
+| Fetch spec | Auto-derived from the DTO's declared shape | Whatever `select()`/SQL you write | Whatever `select()`/`fetch()` you write |
+| Mismatch caught | At compile time (unregistered pair fails fast at first use; codegen fails fast on structural problems) | At runtime (reflection-based constructor/setter matching) | N/A (real entity properties) |
+| Identity/de-dup | Yes - repeated source instances map to the same DTO instance (`DtoMapContext`) | N/A (one row in, one DTO out) | Yes (entity/persistence-context identity) |
+| Backing pipeline | Executes the entity ORM query, `setUnmodifiable(true)`, maps the resulting graph | Executes SQL directly against a flat `ResultSet` | Executes the entity ORM query |
+| Best for | API/read-model responses that mirror a **nested** entity shape | Flat summary rows, reports, native/vendor SQL | Data you intend to mutate and save back |
+
+See also [writing-ebean-query-beans.md](writing-ebean-query-beans.md) (Step 8/9) for
+`asDto()` and the general query-shape decision guide.
+
+---
+
+## Basic usage
+
+### 1. Declare a plain DTO
+
+DTOs are plain classes with **no framework attachment** — no annotations required for
+the common case (properties matched to the source entity by name):
+
+```java
+public class CustomerDto {
+  private final Long id;
+  private final String name;
+  private final AddressDto billingAddress;   // nested ToOne
+  private final List<ContactDto> contacts;   // nested ToMany
+
+  public CustomerDto(Long id, String name, AddressDto billingAddress, List<ContactDto> contacts) {
+    this.id = id;
+    this.name = name;
+    this.billingAddress = billingAddress;
+    this.contacts = contacts;
+  }
+
+  public Long getId() { return id; }
+  public String getName() { return name; }
+  public AddressDto getBillingAddress() { return billingAddress; }
+  public List<ContactDto> getContacts() { return contacts; }
+}
+```
+
+A constructor whose parameters match (by name) a source entity/DTO property is used
+for mapping — same shape convention as the existing `DtoQuery`. Getters are used to
+read the source's properties — a bare/fluent accessor like `active()` is resolved
+automatically too, not just `getActive()`/`isActive()` (useful both for Ebean's own
+record entity beans and for ordinary classes that just expose bare-name accessors).
+
+### 2. Register the (source, target) pair
+
+Declare each entity → DTO pair with `@DtoMapping` on a `package-info.java` (a neutral
+holder — see [Why `package-info.java`?](#why-package-infojava)):
+
+```java
+@DtoMapping(source = Customer.class, target = CustomerDto.class)
+@DtoMapping(source = Address.class, target = AddressDto.class)
+@DtoMapping(source = Contact.class, target = ContactDto.class)
+package org.example.dto;
+
+import io.ebean.annotation.DtoMapping;
+```
+
+This triggers `querybean-generator` (the existing annotation processor) to generate a
+`CustomerDtoMapper implements DtoMapper<Customer, CustomerDto>` for each pair — no new
+Maven/Gradle setup beyond what query beans already require.
+
+### 3. Query with `mapTo(...)`
+
+```java
+List<CustomerDto> dtos = DB.find(Customer.class)
+  .where().eq("status", Status.ACTIVE)
+  .mapTo(CustomerDto.class)
+  .findList();
+
+CustomerDto one = new QCustomer().id.eq(id).mapTo(CustomerDto.class).findOne();
+
+Optional<CustomerDto> maybe = new QCustomer().id.eq(id).mapTo(CustomerDto.class).findOneOrEmpty();
+```
+
+`mapTo(...)` works the same from a query bean (`QCustomer`) or a plain `DB.find(...)`/
+`ExpressionList` query.
+
+### Paging - `findPagedList()`
+
+`findPagedList()` mirrors `Query#findPagedList()` — the underlying entity query is paged
+as normal and each page's result is mapped to the target DTO list:
+
+```java
+PagedList<CustomerDto> paged = DB.find(Customer.class)
+  .where().eq("status", Status.ACTIVE)
+  .orderBy().asc("name")
+  .setFirstRow(0)
+  .setMaxRows(50)
+  .mapTo(CustomerDto.class)
+  .findPagedList();
+
+int totalRowCount = paged.getTotalCount();      // page metadata - unaffected by DTO mapping
+List<CustomerDto> page1 = paged.getList();       // mapped DTOs for this page
+```
+
+Page metadata (`getTotalCount()`, `getTotalPageCount()`, `hasNext()`, `hasPrev()`,
+`loadCount()`, ...) reflects the underlying entity query directly; only `getList()`
+is mapped (once, cached) to the DTO type.
+
+### An unregistered pair fails fast
+
+If `(Customer.class, SomeDto.class)` was never declared via `@DtoMapping`, the first
+`mapTo(SomeDto.class)` call throws immediately:
+
+```
+PersistenceException: No DtoMapper registered mapping Customer -> SomeDto
+  - check @DtoMapping(source = Customer.class, target = SomeDto.class) is declared
+    on a package-info.java processed by querybean-generator
+```
+
+---
+
+## Auto-derived fetch spec
+
+You never write `.select()`/`.fetch()` for a `mapTo(...)` query — the generated mapper
+exposes a `fetchGroup()` built directly from the DTO's declared shape, and `mapTo(...)`
+applies it automatically:
+
+```java
+public CustomerDtoMapper() {
+  this(new AddressDtoMapper(), new ContactDtoMapper());
+}
+
+public CustomerDtoMapper(DtoMapper<Address, AddressDto> billingAddressMapper,
+                          DtoMapper<Contact, ContactDto> contactsMapper) {
+  this.fetchGroup = FetchGroup.of(Customer.class)
+    .select("id,name")
+    .fetch("billingAddress", billingAddressMapper.fetchGroup())
+    .fetch("contacts", contactsMapper.fetchGroup())
+    .build();
+}
+```
+
+Each nested DTO gets its own generated mapper (mirroring MapStruct's per-type mapper
+generation), wired together via constructor injection — mappers are stateless and
+substitutable, not static singletons. Mapper instances are constructed once, in
+dependency order, and reused — see [DtoMapperManager](#one-mapper-instance-per-pair)
+below.
+
+---
+
+## Nested collections and identity-aware de-duplication
+
+When the same source entity instance is reachable via more than one path in the graph
+(e.g. two `Contact`s sharing the same `Customer`, or the same `Address` referenced from
+two paths), the mapper reuses the **same** target DTO instance rather than creating
+duplicate-but-equal copies — mirroring the identity semantics the entity graph already
+has:
+
+```java
+List<CustomerDto> dtos = DB.find(Customer.class).mapTo(CustomerDto.class).findList();
+
+CustomerDto customer = dtos.get(0);
+// both contacts share the exact same customer.billingAddress AddressDto instance
+assertThat(customer.getContacts().get(0).getCustomer())
+  .isSameAs(customer.getContacts().get(1).getCustomer());
+```
+
+This is done via a `DtoMapContext` threaded through every nested `map(...)` call within
+one top-level `mapList(...)`/`findList()` invocation. The generated code only pays for
+this when it can actually matter — a DTO that's never nested under another DTO skips
+`DtoMapContext` entirely (there's nothing else in scope to de-duplicate against):
+
+```java
+// AddressDto is nested under CustomerDto (reachable via multiple contacts) - dedup needed
+// dedup using DtoMapContext, same Address instance can be reached via more than one path in the graph
+return context.computeIfAbsent(AddressDto.class, source, s -> new AddressDto(...));
+
+// ContactSummaryDto is only ever mapped as a top-level query result - no dedup possible
+// skip DtoMapContext, only ever a top-level mapping
+return new ContactSummaryDto(source.getId(), source.getFullName());
+
+// CustomerDto has nested mappers (billingAddress, contacts) but is never itself nested
+// DtoMapContext for nested mappers only
+return new CustomerDto(source.getId(), source.getName(), ...);
+```
+
+The generated comment tells you at a glance which of the three cases applies — useful
+when debugging why a `DtoMapContext` is (or isn't) in the generated code for a
+particular mapper.
+
+---
+
+## Using generated mappers directly (outside `query.mapTo()`)
+
+Every generated `XxxDtoMapper` is a plain public class — you don't need `ServiceLoader`,
+a registry, or a `Database` just to construct or call one directly (though
+`DtoMapperManager`, below, is available if you want a shared, DI-friendly lookup). It
+always has a public no-arg constructor (delegating to defaults for any nested mappers/
+`@DtoConvert` converters) plus an explicit constructor taking those dependencies directly,
+and implements `DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET>`'s `map(...)`/`mapList(...)`:
+
+```java
+CustomerDtoMapper mapper = new CustomerDtoMapper();
+CustomerDto dto = mapper.map(customer);       // any Customer you already have on hand
+List<CustomerDto> dtos = mapper.mapList(customers);
+```
+
+This works on **any** entity graph, not just one that just came out of a `mapTo(...)`
+query — e.g. entities you loaded with a plain `.fetch(...)` query, entities you just
+`.save()`d, or entities built by hand in a test. The only requirement is that whatever the
+mapper reads (via plain getters) is actually populated — there's no lazy-loading fallback.
+
+### Testing the mapping in isolation
+
+Because mappers are plain, constructor-injected classes, you can unit test the mapping
+logic itself — independent of `query.mapTo()`, the DTO-pair registry, and (for
+`@DtoConvert` instance-dispatch converters) `DtoConverterManager` — by passing a test
+double straight into the explicit constructor:
+
+```java
+SecretCipher upperCasingTestCipher = String::toUpperCase;
+ContactConversionDto dto = new ContactConversionDtoMapper(upperCasingTestCipher).map(contact);
+
+assertThat(dto.getSecretCode()).isEqualTo("SHH");
+```
+
+No `DtoConverterManager.put(...)` registration needed for this kind of test — the real
+production wiring (`DtoConverterManager.get(SecretCipher.class)`) only happens in the
+generated no-arg constructor, which the explicit-constructor call above bypasses entirely.
+See `TestCustomerDtoGraphMapping` (mapper called directly against a manually queried
+graph) and `TestMapperManualUsage` (mapper called directly against hand-built/just-saved
+entities, plus the converter test-double case above) in `tests/test-dto-mapping`.
+
+### `DtoMapperManager` — resolving a generated mapper for dependency injection
+
+`new CustomerDtoMapper()` is enough for a single mapper, but if your application wants a
+single shared instance of *every* generated mapper (mirroring how `query.mapTo()` resolves
+them internally) - e.g. to wire one up for constructor injection into a service, replacing
+a hand-written mapper class - use `io.ebean.DtoMapperManager`:
+
+```java
+DtoMapperManager manager = new DtoMapperManager();   // ServiceLoader discovery only - no Database needed
+CustomerDtoMapper mapper = manager.get(CustomerDtoMapper.class);
+```
+
+`DtoMapperManager` has no dependency on `Database` at all - its constructor only does
+`ServiceLoader.load(DtoMapperRegister.class)` - so it can be constructed independently,
+before (or entirely without) a `Database`, e.g. as a bean in an avaje-inject (or any DI
+framework's) dependency graph:
+
+```java
+@Factory
+class DtoMapperFactory {
+
+  @Bean
+  DtoMapperManager dtoMapperManager() {
+    return new DtoMapperManager();
+  }
+
+  @Bean
+  CustomerDtoMapper customerDtoMapper(DtoMapperManager manager) {
+    return manager.get(CustomerDtoMapper.class);
+  }
+}
+```
+
+If you also want `query.mapTo(...)` to use that *exact same* manager instance (so there's
+only ever one instance of each generated mapper, whichever path resolves it), register it
+via `DatabaseBuilder.putServiceObject` before building the `Database` - this is the same
+`putServiceObject`/`getServiceObject` mechanism already used for things like
+`AutoMigrationRunner`:
+
+```java
+DtoMapperManager sharedManager = new DtoMapperManager();
+
+Database db = Database.builder()
+  .putServiceObject(DtoMapperManager.class, sharedManager)
+  .build();
+
+// query.mapTo(...) against `db` now resolves mappers via `sharedManager`
+```
+
+If nothing is registered via `putServiceObject`, the `Database` builds its own default
+`DtoMapperManager` instance instead - registering one is entirely optional. A standalone
+`DtoMapperManager()` construction bypasses the `DatabaseConfigProvider` hook (that hook is
+specifically about `Database` startup ordering), so if any of your mappers need a
+`@DtoConvert` instance-dispatch converter, register it via `DtoConverterManager.put(...)`
+yourself first, exactly as you would before building a `Database`. See
+`TestDtoMapperManager` and `TestDtoMapperManagerSharing` in `tests/test-dto-mapping`.
+
+### Recipe: adding extra caller-supplied fields after mapping
+
+Sometimes a target DTO needs a field that isn't sourced from the entity graph at all - e.g.
+populated from a separate query or business rule, only when a caller-supplied flag is set.
+Rather than the generator supporting partial/builder-based mapping directly, if your DTO is
+a record with a "seed from instance" builder (e.g. via `avaje-recordbuilder`'s
+`@RecordBuilder`, which generates `Target.builder(existingInstance)`), just map the
+graph-sourced fields as usual and layer the extra field on afterwards:
+
+```java
+Driver base = mapper.map(cDriver);
+Driver full = DriverBuilder.builder(base).fleets(fleets).build();
+```
+
+No generator changes needed - the mapped instance is simply the seed for the builder.
+
+---
+
+## Large targets: builder-based construction and named variants
+
+Two features aimed at large, builder-shaped target DTOs (typically OpenAPI-generated records
+with a generated builder), where a positional constructor call is unwieldy and a single query
+needs to populate the target in more than one shape.
+
+### Builder-based construction (`builder = AUTO | ALWAYS | NEVER`)
+
+If the target has a static no-arg `Target.builder()` factory returning a type with a fluent
+(returns-itself) setter per property plus a `build()` method - the shape
+`avaje-recordbuilder`'s `@RecordBuilder` generates - the generated mapper can construct the
+target via `Target.builder().prop(x)....build()` instead of `new Target(a, b, c, ...)`:
+
+```java
+public record User(Long id, String name, String email, /* ... 21 more fields */) {
+
+  public static UserBuilder builder() {
+    return UserBuilder.builder();
+  }
+}
+```
+
+```java
+@DtoMapping(source = CUser.class, target = User.class)
+package org.example.dto;
+```
+
+By default (`builder = AUTO`), the generator auto-detects a matching builder and uses it only
+once the target has more than 5 properties, falling back to a positional constructor for
+smaller DTOs. Override explicitly either direction:
+
+```java
+@DtoMapping(source = CUser.class, target = User.class, builder = DtoMapping.Builder.ALWAYS)
+```
+
+`builder = ALWAYS` is a codegen-time error if no matching builder shape is found; `builder =
+NEVER` always uses a positional constructor even if a builder is detected. This applies
+regardless of whether the target is hand-authored or foreign/generated - `@DtoMapping` is
+already declared externally via `package-info.java`, so no annotation on the target itself is
+needed either way.
+
+### Named variants excluding nested paths (`name=`, `exclude=`)
+
+The same `(source, target)` pair can be registered more than once - one base mapping (leaving
+`name()` empty) plus any number of named variants, each excluding one or more nested
+ToOne/ToMany properties:
+
+```java
+@DtoMapping(source = CUser.class, target = User.class)
+@DtoMapping(source = CUser.class, target = User.class, name = "noFleets", exclude = "fleets")
+package org.example.dto;
+```
+
+Both variants are generated into the **same** mapper class (one class per target, not one per
+variant) - the generated `noFleets()` accessor returns a single shared/cached `DtoMapper<CUser,
+User>` view (not reconstructed per call), omitting `fleets` from both its mapped output (`null`
+for a ToOne, `List.of()` for a ToMany) and its own `fetchGroup()`. Each excluded property is still
+evaluated inline at its own declared field position internally (guarded by a boolean flag) - a
+variant's exclusions never change the evaluation order of the DTO's other properties. Select it
+with the `query.mapTo(Class, DtoMapper)` overload, which takes an already-resolved mapper instance
+directly - no string-based lookup:
+
+```java
+UserMapper userMapper = new UserMapper();
+
+// full shape, with fleets fetched/mapped
+List<User> withFleets = DB.find(CUser.class)
+  .mapTo(User.class, userMapper) // or plain .mapTo(User.class)
+  .findList();
+
+// bulk listing shape - fleets excluded from both the fetch spec and the output
+List<User> noFleets = DB.find(CUser.class)
+  .mapTo(User.class, userMapper.noFleets())
+  .findList();
+```
+
+Only nested ToOne/ToMany properties can be excluded - a scalar or `@DtoRef` property can't be,
+since there's no type-safe "absent" value for an arbitrary scalar type. Named variants are
+scoped to independent, top-level query results only - unlike the base mapping, they don't
+participate in `DtoMapContext` identity de-duplication when nested elsewhere in a graph, since a
+variant is never intended to be nested inside another DTO's mapping.
+
+---
+
+## `@DtoPath` — renamed or flattened properties
+
+By default a DTO property is matched to the source entity property (or nested DTO
+mapper) of the **same name**. `@DtoPath` overrides that, allowing a DTO property to be
+renamed and/or flattened from a nested path using dot-notation:
+
+```java
+public class ContactDto {
+  private final long id;
+  private final String firstName;
+  private final String lastName;
+
+  @DtoPath("customer.billingAddress.city")
+  private final String customerCity;   // flattened, 2 hops through customer
+
+  // constructor / getters ...
+}
+```
+
+The generated mapper reads the path with a null-guard at each hop and adds the
+necessary joins to the fetch spec automatically:
+
+```java
+(s.getCustomer() == null ? null
+  : (s.getCustomer().getBillingAddress() == null ? null
+      : s.getCustomer().getBillingAddress().getCity()))
+```
+
+`@DtoPath` is purely a compile-time/codegen-time hint — the DTO class itself carries no
+runtime dependency on the annotation.
+
+### Fetch-path collisions are a compile-time error
+
+A `@DtoPath` whose fetch path is identical to a nested `ToOne`/`ToMany` property's own
+fetch path on the *same* DTO (e.g. a nested `customer` field alongside
+`@DtoPath("customer.name")` — both resolve to fetch path `"customer"`) fails the build
+with a clear error, rather than silently discarding one side's fetched properties:
+
+```
+error: @DtoPath property 'customerName' on FooDto resolves to fetch path 'customer',
+  which collides with the nested mapping already using that same fetch path - Ebean's
+  fetch spec can only carry one set of properties per path, so one silently discards
+  the other. Move 'customerName' onto the nested DTO type instead, or choose a
+  @DtoPath that reaches into a different, non-colliding path.
+```
+
+Fix it either way it suggests: move the property onto the nested DTO type, or choose a
+`@DtoPath` that reaches a different path (as `customerCity` above does deliberately,
+using a 3-segment path through `customer.billingAddress` rather than colliding with a
+plain `customer` nested field).
+
+---
+
+## `@DtoRef` — id-only back-references (breaking cycles)
+
+The DTO graph derived from a set of DTO types must form a DAG — codegen fails if it
+doesn't. `@DtoRef` is the explicit escape hatch for an intentional back-reference, e.g.
+a `Contact` DTO referencing its parent `Customer` by id only, rather than re-embedding
+a full `CustomerDto` (which would recreate the `Customer → Contact → Customer` cycle):
+
+```java
+public class ContactDto {
+  private final long id;
+
+  @DtoRef
+  private final Long customerId;   // id-only, no nested CustomerDto re-embedded
+
+  // constructor / getters ...
+}
+```
+
+The generated fetch spec adds the association to the **root** `select(...)` rather
+than a nested `.fetch(...)` — this reads the foreign-key column directly off the base
+table (no SQL join):
+
+```java
+this.fetchGroup = FetchGroup.of(ContactStats.class)
+  .select("customer,contactCount,engagementScore")   // "customer" -> FK column, no join
+  .build();
+```
+
+```java
+(source.getCustomer() == null ? null : source.getCustomer().getId())
+```
+
+If the same association is *also* independently nested-fetched elsewhere on the DTO
+(e.g. `ContactDto` has both a nested `customer` field **and** `@DtoRef Long
+customerId`), the generator recognizes the association is already covered and doesn't
+add a redundant/duplicate select — no join is added twice.
+
+---
+
+## `@DtoConvert` — custom property conversion
+
+Some properties need more than a plain getter copy — a scalar coercion (`short` to
+`boolean`), an enum-to-`String` mapping, or a conversion needing a real dependency (e.g.
+decrypting a value with a cipher). `@DtoConvert(value = ConverterType.class, method =
+"name")` covers both, combinable with `@DtoPath` when the source value also needs a
+path/rename override:
+
+```java
+public class ContactDto {
+  @DtoPath("status")
+  @DtoConvert(value = ContactConversions.class, method = "toActive")
+  private final boolean active;             // Contact.status (Short) -> boolean
+
+  @DtoConvert(value = SecretCipher.class, method = "decode")
+  private final String secretCode;          // decrypted via a registered SecretCipher
+
+  // constructor / getters ...
+}
+```
+
+The generator resolves the referenced method at codegen time and dispatches one of two
+ways, purely based on whether it's `static`:
+
+- **Static method** — inlined as a direct static call
+  (`ContactConversions.toActive(source.getStatus())`). No registration needed at all —
+  use this for common, reusable, dependency-free coercions.
+- **Instance method** — the generated mapper resolves one shared instance via
+  `DtoConverterManager.get(SecretCipher.class)`, wired as a constructor
+  parameter/field (the same shape as nested-mapper constructor injection), then calls
+  `secretCipher.decode(source.getSecretCode())`. Use this when the conversion needs a
+  real dependency.
+
+### Registering an instance-dispatch converter
+
+`DtoConverterManager` is a small, deliberately-scoped static put/get bridge — register
+an already-constructed converter instance (e.g. built by your DI container) **before**
+building the `Database`:
+
+```java
+AES256Cipher cipher = ...;                                    // already DI-constructed
+DtoConverterManager.put(SecretCipher.class, cipher::decrypt); // or a small adapter class
+
+Database db = DatabaseFactory.create(...); // generated mappers resolve converters from here
+```
+
+If nothing is registered for a required type, `DtoConverterManager.get(...)` throws a
+`PersistenceException` immediately — this happens as an eager field initializer on the
+generated `EbeanDtoMapperRegister`, so a missing registration fails fast at `Database`
+build time, not lazily on first `mapTo(...)` call.
+
+> **Testing tip:** since `EbeanDtoMapperRegister`'s mapper fields are all constructed
+> together when the `Database` starts, register converters via a `DatabaseConfigProvider`
+> (a `ServiceLoader` hook that runs before the `Database` is built) rather than a test
+> `@BeforeAll`, so registration always happens before *any* test triggers startup —
+> regardless of which test class runs first.
+
+## `@DtoMixin` — overlaying annotations onto a DTO you can't edit
+
+Some DTOs are generated elsewhere (e.g. from an OpenAPI spec, regenerated on every
+build) and can't be annotated directly. `@DtoMixin(Target.class)` overlays
+`@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef`/`@DtoConvert` from a separate companion type instead — directly
+mirroring avaje-jsonb's `@Json.MixIn` mechanism. Declare a companion interface (or
+class) whose method names match the target DTO's property names:
+
+```java
+// ContactMixinDto itself carries no Ebean annotations at all
+public class ContactMixinDto {
+  public ContactMixinDto(long id, String firstName, boolean active, String secretCode) { ... }
+  // getters ...
+}
+
+@DtoMixin(ContactMixinDto.class)
+interface ContactMixinDtoMixin {
+
+  @DtoPath("status")
+  @DtoConvert(value = ContactConversions.class, method = "toActive")
+  boolean active();
+
+  @DtoConvert(value = SecretCipher.class, method = "decode")
+  String secretCode();
+}
+```
+
+The processor matches each mixin method to the target's property by name and applies
+whichever annotations are present as if they were declared on the target field itself.
+The mixin type is never instantiated and carries no runtime footprint — it's purely a
+compile-time/codegen-time hint.
+
+---
+
+## Computed / aggregate properties via `@Entity @View`
+
+There's no dedicated "formula on DTO" annotation (a narrower `@Formula2`-on-DTO
+variant was explored and rejected — see
+[dto-mapping-design.md](../dto-mapping-design.md) for the reasoning). Instead, model
+the computed value as its own read-only entity using `@View`, then map that entity to a
+plain DTO with the same `@DtoMapping` machinery described above. `@View(name = "...")`
+here just points a second entity at an **existing** table — it does not create a new
+database view or table.
+
+### Worked example — computed column (`@Formula2`)
+
+```java
+@Entity
+@View(name = "contact")   // reads the existing 'contact' table, no new DDL
+public class ContactSummary {
+  @Id
+  private Long id;
+  private String firstName;
+  private String lastName;
+
+  @Formula2("concat(firstName, ' ', lastName)")
+  private String fullName;
+
+  // getters ...
+}
+```
+
+```java
+public class ContactSummaryDto {
+  private final Long id;
+  private final String fullName;
+  // constructor / getters ...
+}
+```
+
+```java
+@DtoMapping(source = ContactSummary.class, target = ContactSummaryDto.class)
+```
+
+```java
+List<ContactSummaryDto> summaries = DB.find(ContactSummary.class)
+  .mapTo(ContactSummaryDto.class)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+### Worked example — group-by aggregation (`@Sum`/`@Aggregation`)
+
+The same `@View`-on-base-table pattern applies to Ebean's `@Sum`/`@Aggregation`
+group-by formulas — the Blaze-Persistence parallel is an `@EntityView` with
+`@Mapping("SIZE(...)")`/`@Mapping("SUM(...)")` correlated mappings:
+
+```java
+@Entity
+@View(name = "contact")
+public class ContactStats {
+  @Id
+  private Long id;              // required so @Aggregation("count(id)") has something to
+                                 // count; deliberately never selected/mapped - selecting it
+                                 // would defeat the aggregation (one row per contact
+                                 // instead of one row per customer)
+  @ManyToOne
+  private Customer customer;
+
+  @Aggregation("count(id)")
+  private Long contactCount;
+
+  @Sum
+  private Integer engagementScore;
+
+  // getters ...
+}
+```
+
+```java
+public class ContactStatsDto {
+  @DtoRef
+  private final Long customerId;   // also the implicit GROUP BY key
+  private final Long contactCount;
+  private final Integer engagementScore;
+  // constructor / getters ...
+}
+```
+
+Because `customerId` uses `@DtoRef`, the generated fetch spec is
+`select("customer,contactCount,engagementScore")` with **no join** — the query groups
+by the FK column directly:
+
+```sql
+select t0.customer_id, count(t0.id), sum(t0.engagement_score)
+from contact t0
+group by t0.customer_id
+```
+
+---
+
+## Performance notes
+
+### Fail-fast, no accidental lazy loading
+
+`mapTo(...)` forces `query.setUnmodifiable(true)` under the hood. If the mapper ever
+needs a property that wasn't fetched, it throws `LazyInitialisationException`
+immediately rather than silently issuing an extra query per row or returning `null`.
+`InterceptReadOnly` (the unmodifiable-graph bean state) is also cheap — a `boolean[]
+loaded` flag array plus a `frozen` flag, not a full second copy of bean state.
+
+### One mapper instance per pair
+
+Generated mappers are constructed once (in dependency order — a mapper with nested
+mappers takes them as constructor params) and reused across every `mapTo(...)` call for
+that pair, resolved and cached by `DtoMapperManager` keyed on `(sourceType, dtoType)`.
+
+### `DtoMapContext` overhead only where it earns its keep
+
+As shown above, the generator only involves `DtoMapContext` for mappers that can
+actually be reached via more than one path in some graph (dedup) or that have nested
+mappers of their own (need to thread the context down); a DTO that's only ever a
+top-level query result skips it entirely.
+
+### Fetch strategy and pagination carry over unchanged
+
+Existing fetch-strategy control (`+query`/`+lazy`, `fetchQuery()`) and pagination
+(including keyset pagination and `findPagedList()`) work the same whether the query
+target is an entity graph or a `mapTo(...)` DTO graph — no special-casing needed.
+
+---
+
+## Which should I use?
+
+- **`mapTo(Dto.class)`** — the target is a **nested** shape (has its own ToOne/ToMany
+  DTO fields) that should mirror part of the entity graph; you want the fetch spec
+  derived automatically and verified to match the DTO's declared shape.
+- **`asDto(Dto.class)`** / `DB.findDto(...)` — the target is a **flat** row (report,
+  summary, native/vendor SQL); you're comfortable with runtime-checked column-to-bean
+  matching, or the SQL doesn't map cleanly to entity property paths at all.
+- **Plain entity query** — the caller needs a real, persistable, mutable entity — not a
+  read-only projection.
+
+---
+
+## Reference
+
+### Why `package-info.java`?
+
+`@DtoMapping` is declared on a package (`ElementType.PACKAGE`), not the DTO or the
+entity, because:
+- the DTO type is often owned/generated elsewhere (e.g. from an OpenAPI spec) and
+  shouldn't need to be annotated with an internal persistence/entity type;
+- one entity may be the source for several different DTOs (e.g. a summary vs. a detail
+  view), and the same entity/DTO pair may need registering from multiple consuming
+  modules.
+
+### Annotations at a glance
+
+| Annotation | Target | Purpose |
+|---|---|---|
+| `@DtoMapping(source=, target=)` | `package-info.java` | Registers an entity → DTO pair, triggers mapper generation |
+| `@DtoMapping(..., builder=)` | `package-info.java` | `AUTO` (default, threshold-based) / `ALWAYS` / `NEVER` - builder-chain vs positional constructor |
+| `@DtoMapping(..., name=, exclude=)` | `package-info.java` | Registers a named variant sharing the base mapping's generated class, excluding nested paths |
+| `@DtoPath("a.b.c")` | DTO field/getter | Renamed and/or flattened multi-hop property mapping |
+| `@DtoRef` | DTO field/getter | Id-only back-reference; breaks a cycle; root-selects the FK (no join) |
+| `@DtoConvert(value=, method=)` | DTO field/getter | Custom scalar conversion - static (no registration) or instance (via `DtoConverterManager`) dispatch |
+| `@DtoMixin(Target.class)` | Companion interface/class | Overlays `@DtoPath`/`@DtoRef`/`@DtoConvert` onto a DTO that can't be annotated directly |
+
+### Parallels with other tools
+
+If you're coming from another mapping library, here's the rough correspondence:
+
+| Ebean | MapStruct | Blaze-Persistence |
+|---|---|---|
+| Generated `DtoMapper` per (source, DTO) pair | Generated `@Mapper` implementation | `@EntityView` (interface + runtime proxy) |
+| `@DtoPath("a.b.c")` | `@Mapping(target = "x", source = "a.b.c")` | `@Mapping("a.b.c")` |
+| `@DtoRef` | `@Context`/manual cycle-breaking (no dedicated annotation) | Sub-view referencing an id-only projection |
+| `@DtoConvert(value=, method=)` | `@Mapping(qualifiedByName = "...")` / custom mapper methods | Custom converter/`@Mapping` expression |
+| `@DtoMixin(Target.class)` | N/A (annotate the `@Mapper` interface's abstract methods instead) | N/A |
+| `DtoMapContext` identity de-dup | Not built in (opt-in `@MappingTarget`/manual caching) | Built in (entity-view identity) |
+| `@Entity @View` + `@Formula2`/`@Sum`/`@Aggregation` for computed DTO values | N/A (MapStruct doesn't touch SQL) | `@Mapping("SIZE(...)")` / `@Mapping("SUM(...)")` correlated mappings |
+
+See [dto-mapping-design.md](../dto-mapping-design.md) for the full design rationale and
+[dto-mapping-requirements.md](../dto-mapping-requirements.md) for the accepted/rejected
+requirements this feature was scoped against (issue
+[#2540](https://github.com/ebean-orm/ebean/issues/2540)).

docs/guides/using-rawsql-with-ebean.md

@@ -0,0 +1,464 @@
+# Guide: Using `RawSql` with Ebean
+
+## Purpose
+
+`RawSql` lets you back an Ebean bean with a **hand-written SQL query** instead of
+Ebean generating the SQL from the entity mapping. Ebean still handles object
+mapping (result set columns → bean properties), lazy loading of associated beans,
+and - depending on how the `RawSql` is built - dynamic `WHERE`/`HAVING` predicates
+added through the normal query API.
+
+Use this guide when you need to:
+
+- run vendor-specific SQL, complex aggregation, or reporting queries that don't
+  map cleanly to an ORM query
+- reuse a hand-tuned query but still want typed/dynamic predicates, paging, or
+  `ORDER BY` added by the caller
+- back a query bean (`Q*`) or DTO-like bean with SQL containing a CTE, window
+  function, or subquery in the `FROM` clause
+
+Prefer ordinary query bean queries first - see
+[Write Ebean queries with query beans](writing-ebean-query-beans.md), Step 9,
+for the full decision order (query bean → `asDto()` → DTO query → raw SQL).
+This guide covers raw SQL once you've decided it's the right tool.
+
+---
+
+## The bean behind a `RawSql` query
+
+A bean queried with `RawSql` is not necessarily backed by a physical table. Annotate
+it `@Entity @Sql` to tell Ebean it is mapped via `RawSql` rather than table DDL:
+
+```java
+@Entity
+@Sql
+public class OrderAggregate {
+
+  @OneToOne
+  Order order;
+
+  Double totalAmount;
+  Long totalItems;
+
+  // getters/setters
+}
+```
+
+`@Sql` beans still get a generated query bean (`QOrderAggregate`) if the
+querybean-generator annotation processor is configured - see
+[Using `RawSql` with query beans](#using-rawsql-with-query-beans) below.
+
+You can also query an ordinary table-backed `@Entity` with `RawSql` - the column
+mapping just needs to line up with that entity's properties.
+
+---
+
+## Building a `RawSql` - three factory methods
+
+`RawSqlBuilder` has three ways to construct a `RawSql`, depending on how much of
+the SQL Ebean needs to understand:
+
+| Method | SELECT columns parsed? | Dynamic WHERE/HAVING/ORDER BY? | Use for |
+|--------|------------------------|------------------------|---------|
+| `RawSqlBuilder.parse(sql)` | Yes | Yes | Ordinary `SELECT ... FROM ... WHERE ...` statements |
+| `RawSqlBuilder.unparsed(sql)` | No | No | Fixed SQL that never needs additional predicates |
+| `RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)` | No (explicit `columnMapping()` required) | Yes, via `${where}` / `${andWhere}` / `${having}` / `${andHaving}` / `${orderBy}` / `${andOrderBy}` | CTEs, window functions, subqueries - SQL that keyword-based parsing can't handle |
+
+### `parse(sql)` - the common case
+
+`parse(sql)` scans the SQL text for the `select` / `from` / `where` / `group by`
+/ `having` / `order by` keywords to work out the SELECT column list (so it can
+validate your column mappings) and the injection points for dynamic `WHERE`/
+`HAVING` expressions.
+
+```java
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.parse(
+    "select c.id, c.name, c.status from customer c")
+  .columnMapping("c.id", "id")
+  .columnMapping("c.name", "name")
+  .columnMapping("c.status", "status")
+  .create();
+
+List<Customer> customers = DB.find(Customer.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .where().eq("status", Customer.Status.ACTIVE)
+  .orderBy("name")
+  .findList();
+```
+
+Because the SQL is parsed, mistakes in `columnMapping()` (unknown column, wrong
+order for `unparsed`-style mappings) are caught early. **This fails on SQL the
+keyword parser can't make sense of** - a `WITH` CTE, a window function, a
+subquery in `FROM`, etc. - because the keyword positions found don't correspond
+to the outer query's real structure. Use `withPlaceholders(sql)` for that SQL
+instead (see below).
+
+### `unparsed(sql)` - fixed queries
+
+`unparsed(sql)` skips all parsing. The SQL is used exactly as written, and **no
+further `WHERE`/`HAVING`/`ORDER BY` can be added** by the caller - useful for a
+completely fixed reporting query with no caller-supplied filtering.
+
+```java
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.unparsed(
+    "select id, name, status from customer where status = 'ACTIVE'")
+  .columnMapping("id", "id")
+  .columnMapping("name", "name")
+  .columnMapping("status", "status")
+  .create();
+
+List<Customer> customers = DB.find(Customer.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+Column mappings for `unparsed(sql)` must be supplied **in the same order** as
+the columns appear in the SQL, since there's no parsing to match them by name.
+
+### `withPlaceholders(sql)` - complex SQL (CTEs, window functions, subqueries)
+
+`withPlaceholders(sql)` avoids keyword scanning entirely. You mark exactly where
+a dynamic `WHERE`/`HAVING`/`ORDER BY` expression should be injected using
+placeholder tokens, and column mappings are always explicit (as with `unparsed`).
+
+#### Placeholder reference
+
+| Placeholder | Meaning | Use when |
+|-------------|---------|----------|
+| `${where}` | Insert a new `WHERE <expr>` clause here | No static `WHERE` clause exists yet at this point in the SQL |
+| `${andWhere}` | Insert `AND <expr>` here | A static `WHERE ...` clause already exists in the SQL and you want to append to it |
+| `${having}` | Insert a new `HAVING <expr>` clause here | No static `HAVING` clause exists yet at this point in the SQL |
+| `${andHaving}` | Insert `AND <expr>` here | A static `HAVING ...` clause already exists in the SQL and you want to append to it |
+| `${orderBy}` | Insert a new `ORDER BY <expr>` clause here | No static `ORDER BY` clause exists yet at this point in the SQL, and callers may supply `.orderBy(...)` |
+| `${andOrderBy}` | Insert `, <expr>` here | A static `ORDER BY ...` clause already exists in the SQL and you want callers to be able to append extra sort columns to it |
+
+Rules:
+
+- At least one placeholder is required - `withPlaceholders(sql)` throws
+  `IllegalArgumentException` if none of the six tokens are present.
+- Use only the placeholders you need. Omit `${where}`/`${andWhere}` entirely if
+  the query never needs a dynamic `WHERE` (e.g. only a dynamic `HAVING` on an
+  aggregate). Omit `${having}`/`${andHaving}` if there's no dynamic `HAVING`.
+  Omit `${orderBy}`/`${andOrderBy}` if the ordering is always fixed.
+- Explicit `columnMapping()` is required for every returned column - there is no
+  column-list parsing to infer names from.
+- **A caller-supplied `.orderBy(...)`/`.order(...)` is only applied if the SQL
+  contains an `${orderBy}` or `${andOrderBy}` placeholder.** Without one of
+  those placeholders there is no defined injection point for dynamic ordering,
+  so any `.orderBy(...)` call on the query is safely ignored rather than risk
+  producing invalid SQL - even if the template has a static trailing
+  `ORDER BY ...` of its own. If you need callers to be able to influence
+  ordering, add `${orderBy}` (no existing static order by) or `${andOrderBy}`
+  (append after an existing static order by).
+- Any other static SQL that follows a `${where}`/`${having}` placeholder (e.g.
+  a trailing `GROUP BY`) is preserved and correctly positioned **after**
+  whatever dynamic expression gets injected at that placeholder.
+
+#### Example - CTE with `${where}`
+
+```java
+String sql = """
+  with order_totals as (
+    select o.id as order_id, sum(d.qty * d.unit_price) as total_amount
+    from o_order o
+    join o_order_detail d on d.order_id = o.id
+    group by o.id
+  )
+  select order_id, total_amount
+  from order_totals
+  ${where}
+  order by order_id
+  """;
+
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)
+  .columnMapping("order_id", "order.id")
+  .columnMapping("total_amount", "totalAmount")
+  .create();
+
+List<OrderAggregate> list = DB.find(OrderAggregate.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .where().gt("totalAmount", 100)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+`total_amount` is a genuine column of the `order_totals` CTE here, so it's valid
+to filter on it in the outer `WHERE` - this only works because the aggregate is
+computed inside the CTE rather than as a same-level `SELECT` alias.
+
+#### Example - static `WHERE` already present, append with `${andWhere}`
+
+```java
+String sql = "... from order_totals where total_amount > 0 ${andWhere} order by order_id";
+
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)
+  .columnMapping("order_id", "order.id")
+  .columnMapping("total_amount", "totalAmount")
+  .create();
+
+// executed SQL: ... where total_amount > 0 and total_amount > ? order by order_id
+DB.find(OrderAggregate.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .where().gt("totalAmount", 100)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+#### Example - `${having}` only, filtering on an aggregate directly
+
+No `WHERE` placeholder is needed if you only ever filter on the aggregate value:
+
+```java
+String sql =
+  "select o.id as order_id, sum(d.qty * d.unit_price) as total_amount" +
+  " from o_order o join o_order_detail d on d.order_id = o.id" +
+  " group by o.id" +
+  " ${having}" +
+  " order by order_id";
+
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)
+  .columnMapping("order_id", "order.id")
+  .columnMapping("total_amount", "totalAmount")
+  .create();
+
+List<OrderAggregate> list = DB.find(OrderAggregate.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .having().gt("totalAmount", 100)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+The dynamic `HAVING` clause is injected before the static trailing `ORDER BY`,
+even though `${having}` is the only placeholder present. Because there's no
+`${orderBy}`/`${andOrderBy}` placeholder here, a caller-supplied `.orderBy(...)`
+would be ignored - the ordering stays fixed as `order by order_id`.
+
+#### Example - both `${where}` and `${having}`
+
+```java
+String sql =
+  "select o.id as order_id, sum(d.qty * d.unit_price) as total_amount" +
+  " from o_order o join o_order_detail d on d.order_id = o.id" +
+  " ${where}" +
+  " group by o.id" +
+  " ${having}" +
+  " order by order_id";
+
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)
+  .columnMapping("order_id", "order.id")
+  .columnMapping("total_amount", "totalAmount")
+  .create();
+
+List<OrderAggregate> list = DB.find(OrderAggregate.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .where().gt("order.id", 0)
+  .having().gt("totalAmount", 50)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+Both the dynamic `WHERE` and dynamic `HAVING` are injected at their respective
+placeholders, and the trailing `order by order_id` is preserved after the
+`HAVING` clause.
+
+#### Example - `${orderBy}`, fully dynamic ordering
+
+Use `${orderBy}` when there's no static default ordering and you want the
+caller's `.orderBy(...)` to control it entirely:
+
+```java
+String sql =
+  "with order_totals as (" +
+  "  select o.id as order_id, sum(d.qty * d.unit_price) as total_amount" +
+  "  from o_order o join o_order_detail d on d.order_id = o.id" +
+  "  group by o.id" +
+  ")" +
+  " select order_id, total_amount from order_totals" +
+  " ${where}" +
+  " ${orderBy}";
+
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)
+  .columnMapping("order_id", "order.id")
+  .columnMapping("total_amount", "totalAmount")
+  .create();
+
+// executed SQL: ... where total_amount > ? order by total_amount desc
+List<OrderAggregate> list = DB.find(OrderAggregate.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .where().gt("totalAmount", 0)
+  .orderBy("totalAmount desc")
+  .findList();
+```
+
+If the caller doesn't call `.orderBy(...)`, nothing is injected at `${orderBy}`
+and no `ORDER BY` clause is emitted at all.
+
+#### Example - `${andOrderBy}`, appending to a static default ordering
+
+Use `${andOrderBy}` when there's a sensible static default ordering but you
+want callers to be able to add extra tie-breaker sort columns:
+
+```java
+String sql =
+  "... from order_totals" +
+  " ${where}" +
+  " order by total_amount desc ${andOrderBy}";
+
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)
+  .columnMapping("order_id", "order.id")
+  .columnMapping("total_amount", "totalAmount")
+  .create();
+
+// executed SQL: ... order by total_amount desc , order_id
+List<OrderAggregate> list = DB.find(OrderAggregate.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .where().gt("totalAmount", 0)
+  .orderBy("order.id")
+  .findList();
+```
+
+---
+
+## Using `fetchQuery()` to build out more of the graph
+
+A `RawSql` query can be the **root query** and still use `fetchQuery(path)` the
+same way an ordinary ORM query does - Ebean runs the raw SQL for the root rows,
+then runs additional secondary ORM queries to populate the requested paths. This
+lets you hand-write only the part of the query that needs raw SQL (e.g. an
+aggregate/CTE) and let the ORM build out the rest of the object graph normally.
+
+```java
+List<OrderAggregate> list = DB.find(OrderAggregate.class)
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)           // root query - runs the CTE/aggregate SQL
+  .fetchQuery("order")         // secondary query - loads the full Order
+  .fetchQuery("order.details") // secondary query - loads Order.details
+  .where().gt("totalAmount", 50)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+This executes **three** queries: the raw SQL root query, then one secondary
+query per `fetchQuery(path)` call.
+
+**Important**: if the raw SQL's column mapping only populates part of an
+association (e.g. only `order.id`, as in the examples above), that association
+is a *partial reference*. To load a nested to-many under it (e.g.
+`order.details`), you must add an explicit `fetchQuery(...)` (or `fetch(...)`)
+for the **intermediate path** (`order`) as well as the nested path
+(`order.details`) - `fetchQuery("order.details")` alone will leave `details` as
+a deferred/lazy collection, because Ebean doesn't otherwise have a fetch node
+for `order` to hang the secondary query off. If the raw SQL already selects the
+full set of columns for an association directly (no partial reference), this
+extra step isn't needed.
+
+This is the same `fetchQuery()` mechanism used for ordinary query bean queries -
+see [Use `fetchQuery()` for to-many paths](writing-ebean-query-beans.md#step-7---use-fetchquery-for-to-many-paths-and-fetchgroup-for-reusable-query-shapes)
+for background on why to-many paths are loaded via secondary queries rather than
+a single joined query.
+
+---
+
+## Column mapping
+
+Every `RawSqlBuilder` (except a bare `unparsed(sql)` with implicit positional
+mapping) uses `columnMapping(dbColumn, propertyName)` to map SQL result columns
+to bean properties:
+
+```java
+.columnMapping("order_id", "order.id")   // maps to the "order" association's "id" property
+.columnMapping("total_amount", "totalAmount")
+```
+
+- Dotted property paths (e.g. `"order.id"`) map a column into a nested/associated
+  bean property.
+- `columnMappingIgnore(dbColumn)` marks a selected column as intentionally unmapped
+  (present in the SQL but not needed on the bean).
+- `tableAliasMapping(tableAlias, path)` bulk-renames every mapping using a given
+  SQL table alias to be prefixed with a bean property path - handy when a `parse()`
+  query selects many columns from a joined table (e.g. alias `c` → path `customer`)
+  and you don't want to repeat the prefix in every `columnMapping()` call.
+
+---
+
+## Using `RawSql` with query beans
+
+`RawSql` is not limited to the plain `Query<T>` API - it also works with a
+generated query bean, giving type-safe `where()`/`having()`-equivalent
+expressions (as bean properties) over hand-written SQL. Every generated query
+bean exposes `setRawSql(...)`:
+
+```java
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.parse("select id, name, status from customer")
+  .columnMapping("id", "id")
+  .columnMapping("name", "name")
+  .columnMapping("status", "status")
+  .create();
+
+List<Customer> customers = new QCustomer()
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .status.equalTo(Customer.Status.ACTIVE) // typed expression, injected into the parsed WHERE clause
+  .findList();
+```
+
+This also works with `withPlaceholders(sql)` and an `@Sql` query bean:
+
+```java
+List<OrderAggregate> list = new QOrderAggregate()
+  .setRawSql(rawSql) // built with withPlaceholders() as shown above
+  .totalAmount.gt(100)
+  .findList();
+```
+
+The typed property expression (`.totalAmount.gt(100)`) is translated to a bound
+predicate and injected at the `${where}`/`${having}` placeholder position, exactly
+as `.where().gt("totalAmount", 100)` would be on the plain `Query<T>` API.
+
+---
+
+## Common anti-patterns
+
+### Anti-pattern 1 - reaching for raw SQL before trying a query bean
+
+Complex-looking joins are often just ordinary association traversal in a query
+bean. Don't use raw SQL just because a query touches several tables - see
+[Write Ebean queries with query beans](writing-ebean-query-beans.md).
+
+### Anti-pattern 2 - using `parse(sql)` on a CTE or window-function query
+
+`parse(sql)` will throw a parsing exception (or silently mis-locate the WHERE
+injection point) on SQL it can't understand structurally. If your SQL starts
+with `WITH ...` or has a subquery in `FROM`, use `withPlaceholders(sql)` instead.
+
+### Anti-pattern 3 - filtering on a same-level SELECT alias
+
+You cannot add a dynamic `WHERE` predicate on a `SELECT`-clause alias in the
+same query level (e.g. `select sum(x) as total ... ${where}` - `total` isn't a
+real column yet at the `WHERE` stage of that query level). Either:
+
+- move the aggregation into a CTE and filter on the CTE's output column in the
+  outer query (`WHERE` case), or
+- use `${having}`/`${andHaving}` to filter on the aggregate at the `HAVING` stage
+  of the same query level, where the aggregate expression is valid.
+
+### Anti-pattern 4 - forgetting `columnMapping()` with `unparsed()`/`withPlaceholders()`
+
+Both `unparsed(sql)` and `withPlaceholders(sql)` require **every** returned
+column to be explicitly mapped (or explicitly ignored via
+`columnMappingIgnore(...)`) - there's no column-list parsing to infer them.
+
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
+|---------|--------------|-----|
+| `RuntimeException: Error parsing sql, can not find ... keyword` | `parse(sql)` used on SQL with a CTE, window function, or subquery in `FROM` | Use `RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)` instead |
+| `IllegalArgumentException: withPlaceholders() requires at least one of ${where}, ${andWhere}, ${having}, ${andHaving}, ${orderBy}, ${andOrderBy}...` | None of the six placeholder tokens were found in the SQL | Add the appropriate placeholder token at the injection point |
+| Dynamic `WHERE`/`HAVING` predicate silently has no effect, or query throws | Used `unparsed(sql)` and then tried to add a predicate | `unparsed(sql)` queries cannot be modified - switch to `parse(sql)` or `withPlaceholders(sql)` |
+| Generated SQL is invalid / clauses appear in the wrong order | Predicates added via `.where()`/`.having()` don't match the placeholders actually present in the SQL | Make sure `${where}`/`${having}` (or the `and` variants) exist at the point you expect predicates to be injected |
+| `.orderBy(...)`/`.order(...)` on the query silently has no effect | The SQL has no `${orderBy}`/`${andOrderBy}` placeholder | This is by design - without one of those placeholders there's no defined injection point, so the ordering is ignored rather than corrupting the SQL. Add `${orderBy}` or `${andOrderBy}` if you need caller-controlled ordering |
+| `Unknown column` / unmapped property error | Missing `columnMapping()` for a selected column | Add a `columnMapping(...)` or `columnMappingIgnore(...)` for every SQL column |
+| `fetchQuery("a.b")` collection stays deferred/lazy | `a` is a partial reference from the raw SQL column mapping (e.g. only `a.id` mapped), and there's no fetch node for `a` itself | Add `fetchQuery("a")` (or `fetch("a")`) alongside `fetchQuery("a.b")` |
+
+---
+
+## Related documentation
+
+- [Write Ebean queries with query beans](writing-ebean-query-beans.md)
+- [Derived / formula properties (`@Formula`, `@Formula2`)](derived-formula-properties.md)
+- [Ebean query docs](https://ebean.io/docs/query/)

docs/guides/writing-ebean-query-beans.md

@@ -462,6 +462,11 @@ List<CustomerSummary> summaries = new QCustomer()
 - the result is not going to be updated and saved back as an entity
 - the query contains formulas or aggregation intended for a read model
 
+`asDto(...)` maps a **flat**, single-row result. If the target DTO itself needs nested
+DTO fields (ToOne/ToMany) mirroring part of the entity graph, use
+`mapTo(Dto.class)` instead — see
+[Mapping entity graphs to DTOs](mapping-entity-graphs-to-dtos.md).
+
 ---
 
 ## Step 9 - Only fall back to raw SQL when the ORM query is not a good fit
@@ -483,6 +488,30 @@ Prefer the following order:
 Do **not** jump to raw SQL just because the query joins multiple tables. Query
 beans already handle ordinary relationship traversal well.
 
+### Using `RawSql` with query beans
+
+`RawSql` is not limited to the plain `Query<T>` API - it also works with a
+generated query bean, giving type-safe `where()`/`having()` expressions over
+hand-written SQL. Every generated query bean exposes `setRawSql(...)`:
+
+```java
+RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.parse("select id, name, status from customer")
+  .columnMapping("id", "id")
+  .columnMapping("name", "name")
+  .columnMapping("status", "status")
+  .create();
+
+List<Customer> customers = new QCustomer()
+  .setRawSql(rawSql)
+  .status.equalTo(Customer.Status.ACTIVE) // typed expression, injected into the parsed WHERE clause
+  .findList();
+```
+
+For the full guide to building `RawSql` - including `unparsed()`,
+`withPlaceholders()` for CTEs/window functions, the `${where}` / `${andWhere}`
+/ `${having}` / `${andHaving}` placeholder reference, and column mapping - see
+[Using `RawSql` with Ebean](using-rawsql-with-ebean.md).
+
 ---
 
 ## Common anti-patterns
@@ -570,4 +599,5 @@ When asked to add or modify an Ebean query:
 - [Add Ebean Postgres Maven POM](add-ebean-postgres-maven-pom.md)
 - [Entity Bean Creation](entity-bean-creation.md)
 - [Immutable bean cache for read-only references](immutable-bean-cache.md)
+- [Using `RawSql` with Ebean](using-rawsql-with-ebean.md)
 - [Ebean query docs](https://ebean.io/docs/query/)

ebean-api/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>ebean api</name>
@@ -103,6 +103,53 @@
         </excludes>
       </resource>
     </resources>
+    <plugins>
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+        <executions>
+          <execution>
+            <id>compile</id>
+            <goals>
+              <goal>compile</goal>
+            </goals>
+            <configuration>
+              <release>11</release>
+            </configuration>
+          </execution>
+          <execution>
+            <id>compile-21</id>
+            <phase>compile</phase>
+            <goals>
+              <goal>compile</goal>
+            </goals>
+            <configuration>
+              <release>21</release>
+              <compileSourceRoots>
+                <compileSourceRoot>${project.basedir}/src/main/java21</compileSourceRoot>
+              </compileSourceRoots>
+              <multiReleaseOutput>true</multiReleaseOutput>
+            </configuration>
+          </execution>
+        </executions>
+      </plugin>
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
+        <configuration>
+          <archive>
+            <addMavenDescriptor>false</addMavenDescriptor>
+            <manifestEntries>
+              <Multi-Release>true</Multi-Release>
+            </manifestEntries>
+          </archive>
+        </configuration>
+<!--          <manifest>-->
+<!--            <addDefaultImplementationEntries>true</addDefaultImplementationEntries>-->
+<!--          </manifest>-->
+
+      </plugin>
+    </plugins>
   </build>
 
 </project>

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DB.java

@@ -457,6 +457,10 @@ public final class DB {
 
   /**
    * Same as {@link #checkUniqueness(Object)} but with given transaction.
+   * <p>
+   * For control over query cache use and whether to skip the check when the bean's unique
+   * properties are unchanged, use {@link Database#checkUniqueness(Object, Transaction, boolean, boolean)}
+   * via {@link #getDefault()} instead.
    */
   public static Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean, Transaction transaction) {
     return getDefault().checkUniqueness(bean, transaction);

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/Database.java

@@ -1078,12 +1078,21 @@ public interface Database {
    * @param bean The entity bean to check uniqueness on
    * @return a set of Properties if constraint validation was detected or empty list.
    */
-  Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean);
+  default Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean) {
+    return checkUniqueness(bean, null, false, true);
+  }
 
   /**
    * Same as {@link #checkUniqueness(Object)}. but with given transaction.
    */
-  Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean, Transaction transaction);
+  default Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean, Transaction transaction) {
+    return checkUniqueness(bean, transaction, false, true);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Same as {@link #checkUniqueness(Object)}. but with given transaction and extended search options.
+   */
+  Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean, Transaction transaction, boolean useQueryCache, boolean skipClean);
 
   /**
    * Marks the entity bean as dirty.

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DatabaseBuilder.java

@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ public interface DatabaseBuilder {
 
   /**
    * Build and return the Database instance.
+   * <p>
+   * When {@link #setRegister(boolean)} is set to true (the default), and a database
+   * with the same name is already registered, this throws an {@link IllegalStateException}.
+   * Use a unique name, or use {@link #setRegister(boolean)} with {@code false} if the
+   * Database instance is not intended to be registered/looked up by name.
    */
   Database build();
 
@@ -883,6 +888,13 @@ public interface DatabaseBuilder {
   @Deprecated
   DatabaseBuilder setBackgroundExecutorWrapper(BackgroundExecutorWrapper backgroundExecutorWrapper);
 
+  /**
+   * Enable tenant-partitioned caches. When enabled each tenant gets its own cache namespace,
+   * improving cache-hit ratio by preventing cross-tenant key collisions.
+   * Use {@link SpiCacheManager#clearTenant(Object)} when a tenant is deactivated.
+   */
+  DatabaseBuilder tenantPartitionedCache(boolean tenantPartitionedCache);
+
   /**
    * Set the L2 cache default max size.
    */
@@ -2563,6 +2575,11 @@ public interface DatabaseBuilder {
      */
     boolean isAutoPersistUpdates();
 
+    /**
+     * Return true if caches are partitioned by tenant.
+     */
+    boolean isTenantPartitionedCache();
+
     /**
      * Return the L2 cache default max size.
      */

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DatabaseFactory.java

@@ -71,18 +71,28 @@ public final class DatabaseFactory {
     lock.lock();
     try {
       var config = builder.settings();
-      if (config.getName() == null) {
+      var name = config.getName();
+      if (name == null) {
         throw new PersistenceException("The name is null (it is required)");
       }
+      if (config.isRegister()) {
+        // We're explicitly creating a database to be registered, so avoid
+        // triggering DbContext static initialisation to auto-create a default one.
+        DbPrimary.setSkip(true);
+        if (DbContext.getInstance().contains(name)) {
+          throw new IllegalStateException("A Database with name [" + name + "] is already registered."
+            + " Use a unique DatabaseConfig name, or set DatabaseConfig.setRegister(false)"
+            + " if this Database instance is not intended to be registered/looked up by name.");
+        }
+      }
       Database server = createInternal(config);
       if (config.isRegister()) {
         if (config.isDefaultServer()) {
-          if (defaultServerName != null && !defaultServerName.equals(config.getName())) {
-            throw new IllegalStateException("Registering [" + config.getName() + "] as the default server but [" + defaultServerName + "] is already registered as the default");
+          if (defaultServerName != null && !defaultServerName.equals(name)) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Registering [" + name + "] as the default server but [" + defaultServerName + "] is already registered as the default");
           }
-          defaultServerName = config.getName();
+          defaultServerName = name;
         }
-        DbPrimary.setSkip(true);
         DbContext.getInstance().register(server, config.isDefaultServer());
       }
       return server;
@@ -111,6 +121,24 @@ public final class DatabaseFactory {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Remove the registration of this Database.
+   * <p>
+   * This is invoked when a Database is shutdown so that its registered name
+   * becomes available again for a subsequently created Database with the same name.
+   */
+  public static void unregister(Database server) {
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      DbContext.getInstance().deregister(server);
+      if (server.name().equals(defaultServerName)) {
+        defaultServerName = null;
+      }
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Shutdown gracefully all Database instances cleaning up any resources as required.
    * <p>

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DbContext.java

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import io.ebean.config.BeanNotEnhancedException;
 import io.ebean.datasource.DataSourceConfigurationException;
 
 import jakarta.persistence.PersistenceException;
+
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock;
@@ -75,6 +76,10 @@ final class DbContext {
     return defaultDatabase;
   }
 
+  boolean contains(String name) {
+    return concMap.containsKey(name);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Return the database by name.
    */
@@ -115,6 +120,27 @@ final class DbContext {
     registerWithName(server.name(), server, isDefault);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Remove the registration for this Database (typically on shutdown) so that
+   * its name becomes available again for a subsequently created Database.
+   * <p>
+   * Only removes the registration if it currently maps to this exact instance
+   * (avoids removing a different Database subsequently registered with the same name).
+   */
+  void deregister(Database server) {
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      String name = server.name();
+      concMap.remove(name, server);
+      syncMap.remove(name, server);
+      if (defaultDatabase == server) {
+        defaultDatabase = null;
+      }
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
   private void registerWithName(String name, Database server, boolean isDefault) {
     lock.lock();
     try {

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DtoConverterManager.java

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package io.ebean;
+
+import jakarta.persistence.PersistenceException;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+
+/**
+ * Static bridge registering custom {@code @DtoConvert} converter instances so generated DTO
+ * mappers can reach them.
+ * <p>
+ * Generated mappers (see {@code query.mapTo(SomeDto.class)}) are wired via {@code ServiceLoader}
+ * as plain, no-arg-constructed, compile-time singletons (mirroring how entity/query-bean
+ * registration already works) - they have no way to reach a dependency-injection container, or
+ * any particular {@code Database} instance, at construction time. When a
+ * {@code @DtoConvert(value = ConverterType.class, method = "...")} property's converter is an
+ * <b>instance</b> method (as opposed to a {@code static} one, which is called directly with no
+ * registration needed at all), the generated mapper resolves it via {@link #get(Class)} - so the
+ * application must register an instance here, typically one already built by its own DI
+ * container, <b>before</b> building the {@code Database}:
+ * <pre>{@code
+ * AES256Cipher cipher = ...; // already DI-constructed
+ * DtoConverterManager.put(DriverConversions.class, new DriverConversionsImpl(cipher));
+ *
+ * Database db = DatabaseFactory.create(...); // generated mappers resolve converters from here
+ * }</pre>
+ * <p>
+ * This is a deliberate, narrowly-scoped exception to preferring dependency injection over static
+ * mutable state - it exists solely to bridge an already-DI-constructed singleton into
+ * {@code ServiceLoader}-discovered, no-arg-constructed generated code, which cannot otherwise
+ * reach a DI container or a specific {@code Database} instance. {@link #get(Class)} throws
+ * immediately if nothing was registered for the given type, so a missing/late registration fails
+ * fast at {@code Database} build time (a generated mapper's eager field initializer) rather than
+ * lazily on first use.
+ */
+public final class DtoConverterManager {
+
+  private static final Map<Class<?>, Object> converters = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+
+  private DtoConverterManager() {
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Register a converter instance for the given type - must be called before the
+   * {@code Database} using it is built.
+   */
+  public static <T> void put(Class<T> type, T instance) {
+    converters.put(type, instance);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the registered converter instance for the given type.
+   *
+   * @throws PersistenceException if no instance was registered for {@code type}.
+   */
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public static <T> T get(Class<T> type) {
+    T instance = (T) converters.get(type);
+    if (instance == null) {
+      throw new PersistenceException("No " + type.getName() + " registered - call "
+        + "DtoConverterManager.put(" + type.getSimpleName() + ".class, ...) before starting the Database");
+    }
+    return instance;
+  }
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DtoMapContext.java

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package io.ebean;
+
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.IdentityHashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.function.Function;
+
+/**
+ * Identity-keyed cache of already-mapped source -> target instances, shared across one
+ * top-level {@link DtoMapper#mapList(java.util.List)} call (or an explicitly shared context).
+ * <p>
+ * Keyed by source object <b>identity</b> (an {@link IdentityHashMap}, not {@code equals()}/
+ * {@code hashCode()}) because the source is an Ebean entity graph, where repeated references to
+ * the same row within one query already resolve to the same Java object instance.
+ * <p>
+ * The identity map is partitioned <b>per target DTO type</b>. This matters because the same
+ * source instance can legitimately need to be mapped to more than one target type within a
+ * single graph - e.g. a top-level {@code CustomerDtoMapper} maps a {@code Customer} to a full
+ * {@code CustomerDto}, while a nested {@code ContactDtoMapper} maps the very same {@code Customer}
+ * instance (accessed via {@code contact.getCustomer()}) to a shallow {@code CustomerRefDto} to
+ * avoid a cycle. A single un-partitioned {@code IdentityHashMap<Object,Object>} would have the
+ * two mappers collide on the same source key and incorrectly hand back the other mapper's
+ * (wrong-typed) cached result. Partitioning by target type keeps each mapper's cache isolated
+ * while still sharing one context/instance per top-level mapping call.
+ * <p>
+ * Not thread-safe - a context is expected to be created per top-level mapping call and not
+ * shared across threads.
+ */
+public final class DtoMapContext {
+
+  private final Map<Class<?>, Map<Object, Object>> mappedByType = new HashMap<>();
+
+  /**
+   * Return the already-mapped target for the given source instance if present, otherwise map it
+   * via {@code mappingFunction}, register it, and return it.
+   *
+   * @param targetType the DTO type being produced - used to partition the identity cache so that
+   *     mapping the same source to different target types never collides.
+   */
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public <S, T> T computeIfAbsent(Class<T> targetType, S source, Function<S, T> mappingFunction) {
+    Map<Object, Object> mapped = mappedByType.computeIfAbsent(targetType, t -> new IdentityHashMap<>());
+    T existing = (T) mapped.get(source);
+    if (existing != null) {
+      return existing;
+    }
+    T created = mappingFunction.apply(source);
+    mapped.put(source, created);
+    return created;
+  }
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DtoMapper.java

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package io.ebean;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Mapper interface implemented by generated (or hand-written) entity -> DTO graph mappers.
+ * <p>
+ * Used with nested entity-to-DTO graph mapping (see {@code query.mapTo(SomeDto.class)}) as
+ * distinct from the existing flat, single-row {@link DtoQuery} pipeline. Each entity/DTO type
+ * pair gets its own small, composable mapper implementation (mirroring MapStruct's per-type
+ * mapper generation) rather than one large mapper inlining every nested type. Nested mappers are
+ * wired together via constructor injection, not static singletons - this keeps mappers stateless,
+ * substitutable (e.g. for tests) and avoids global mutable state.
+ * <p>
+ * A {@link DtoMapContext} is threaded through every nested {@code map(...)} call within one
+ * top-level {@link #mapList(List)} invocation, so that repeated references to the same source
+ * entity instance (e.g. several {@code Contact}s sharing the same {@code Customer}) map to the
+ * <b>same</b> target DTO instance rather than creating duplicate-but-equal copies. This mirrors
+ * the identity semantics Ebean's own entity graph already has, and is what makes the resulting
+ * DTO graph "graph shaped" rather than "tree of copies shaped".
+ * <p>
+ * Implementations contain no reflection or {@code MethodHandles} - only direct getter calls and
+ * constructor invocation - so generated mappers are safe under GraalVM native-image with zero
+ * additional reachability metadata.
+ *
+ * @param <SOURCE> the source entity (or embeddable) type
+ * @param <TARGET> the target DTO type
+ */
+public interface DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET> {
+
+  /**
+   * Return the {@link FetchGroup} of exactly the source properties (and nested paths) needed to
+   * populate the target DTO graph - the select()/fetch() spec is derived from the DTO's declared
+   * shape rather than maintained separately by hand. Used by {@code query.mapTo(TARGET.class)}
+   * to automatically apply the correct fetch spec before the query is executed.
+   */
+  FetchGroup<SOURCE> fetchGroup();
+
+  /**
+   * Map a single source instance to its target DTO, reusing/registering the mapping in the
+   * given context so that repeated references to the same source instance de-duplicate to the
+   * same target instance. Must return {@code null} when given {@code null}.
+   */
+  TARGET map(SOURCE source, DtoMapContext context);
+
+  /**
+   * Map a single source instance using a fresh, one-off context. Convenience for mapping a
+   * single object in isolation (no de-duplication opportunity since there's nothing else in
+   * scope to de-duplicate against).
+   */
+  default TARGET map(SOURCE source) {
+    return map(source, new DtoMapContext());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Map a list of source instances to a list of target DTOs sharing the given context,
+   * preserving order.
+   */
+  default List<TARGET> mapList(List<SOURCE> source, DtoMapContext context) {
+    List<TARGET> result = new ArrayList<>(source.size());
+    for (SOURCE s : source) {
+      result.add(map(s, context));
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Map a list of source instances to a list of target DTOs using a fresh context shared across
+   * the whole list - this is the usual top-level entry point, e.g. mapping the result of a
+   * {@code query.findList()} call.
+   */
+  default List<TARGET> mapList(List<SOURCE> source) {
+    return mapList(source, new DtoMapContext());
+  }
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DtoMapperManager.java

@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+package io.ebean;
+
+import io.ebean.config.DtoMapperRegister;
+import jakarta.persistence.PersistenceException;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.ServiceLoader;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+
+/**
+ * Loads all generated {@link DtoMapperRegister} implementations (via {@code ServiceLoader},
+ * mirroring how {@code EntityClassRegister} is discovered) once, and resolves the {@link
+ * DtoMapper} for a given (source, dto) pair, or by the generated mapper's own concrete type, on
+ * request.
+ * <p>
+ * Has no dependency on {@link Database} - it can be constructed independently, before (or
+ * without) a {@code Database} existing at all, e.g. as a DI-managed singleton constructed
+ * alongside the rest of an application's dependency graph. If you want the exact same instance
+ * (and hence the exact same underlying mapper instances) shared between {@code query.mapTo(...)}
+ * and your own application code, construct it yourself and register it via {@code
+ * DatabaseBuilder.putServiceObject(DtoMapperManager.class, myManager)} before building the {@code
+ * Database} - it is then used instead of a Database-internal default instance.
+ * <p>
+ * Resolved mappers are cached so that repeated lookups only ever pay the cost of iterating the
+ * generated registers and constructing the mapper (and its nested mapper/{@code FetchGroup}
+ * graph) once - after that, every lookup is a single hash-map hit regardless of how many entity/
+ * DTO pairs are registered.
+ */
+public final class DtoMapperManager {
+
+  private final List<DtoMapperRegister> registers;
+  private final ConcurrentHashMap<MapperKey, DtoMapper<?, ?>> pairCache = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+  private final ConcurrentHashMap<Class<?>, Object> typeCache = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+
+  public DtoMapperManager() {
+    this.registers = load();
+  }
+
+  private static List<DtoMapperRegister> load() {
+    List<DtoMapperRegister> result = new ArrayList<>();
+    for (DtoMapperRegister register : ServiceLoader.load(DtoMapperRegister.class)) {
+      result.add(register);
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the {@link DtoMapper} for the given (source, dto) pair.
+   *
+   * @throws PersistenceException if no generated mapper is registered for that pair.
+   */
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public <S, D> DtoMapper<S, D> mapperFor(Class<S> sourceType, Class<D> dtoType) {
+    return (DtoMapper<S, D>) pairCache.computeIfAbsent(new MapperKey(sourceType, dtoType), this::resolve);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the generated mapper instance of the given concrete mapper type - e.g. {@code
+   * manager.get(CustomerDtoMapper.class)} - typically used to resolve a mapper instance for
+   * dependency injection into application code (e.g. an avaje-inject {@code @Factory} bean
+   * method).
+   *
+   * @throws PersistenceException if no generated mapper of that type is registered.
+   */
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public <T> T get(Class<T> mapperType) {
+    return (T) typeCache.computeIfAbsent(mapperType, this::resolveByType);
+  }
+
+  private DtoMapper<?, ?> resolve(MapperKey key) {
+    for (DtoMapperRegister register : registers) {
+      DtoMapper<?, ?> mapper = register.mapperFor(key.sourceType, key.dtoType);
+      if (mapper != null) {
+        return mapper;
+      }
+    }
+    throw new PersistenceException("No DtoMapper registered mapping " + key.sourceType + " -> " + key.dtoType
+      + " - check @DtoMapping(source = " + key.sourceType.getSimpleName() + ".class, target = "
+      + key.dtoType.getSimpleName() + ".class) is declared on a package-info.java processed by querybean-generator");
+  }
+
+  private Object resolveByType(Class<?> mapperType) {
+    for (DtoMapperRegister register : registers) {
+      Object mapper = register.mapperOfType(mapperType);
+      if (mapper != null) {
+        return mapper;
+      }
+    }
+    throw new PersistenceException("No DtoMapper of type " + mapperType.getName() + " registered"
+      + " - check a @DtoMapping(...) pair generating " + mapperType.getSimpleName()
+      + " is declared on a package-info.java processed by querybean-generator");
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Cache key pairing the source entity type and target DTO type.
+   */
+  private static final class MapperKey {
+
+    private final Class<?> sourceType;
+    private final Class<?> dtoType;
+
+    MapperKey(Class<?> sourceType, Class<?> dtoType) {
+      this.sourceType = sourceType;
+      this.dtoType = dtoType;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+      if (this == o) {
+        return true;
+      }
+      if (!(o instanceof MapperKey)) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      MapperKey other = (MapperKey) o;
+      return sourceType == other.sourceType && dtoType == other.dtoType;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+      return 31 * sourceType.hashCode() + dtoType.hashCode();
+    }
+  }
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/DtoQuery.java

@@ -246,4 +246,41 @@ public interface DtoQuery<T> extends CancelableQuery {
    */
   DtoQuery<T> usingMaster(boolean useMaster);
 
+  /**
+   * Return a PagedList for this query using firstRow and maxRows.
+   * <p>
+   * The benefit of using this over findList() is that it provides functionality to get the
+   * total row count etc.
+   * <p>
+   * If maxRows is not set on the query prior to calling findPagedList() then a
+   * PersistenceException is thrown.
+   * <p>
+   * This is only supported for a DtoQuery that is derived from an ORM query via
+   * {@link Query#asDto(Class)} / {@link ExpressionList#asDto(Class)}. It is not supported
+   * for a DtoQuery based on raw SQL (e.g. via {@link Database#findDto(Class, String)}) as
+   * there is no query structure available from which to derive a matching row count query -
+   * a PersistenceException is thrown in that case.
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *  PagedList<OrderDto> pagedList =
+   *    DB.find(Order.class)
+   *       .where().eq("status", Order.Status.NEW)
+   *       .orderBy().asc("id")
+   *       .setFirstRow(50)
+   *       .setMaxRows(20)
+   *       .asDto(OrderDto.class)
+   *       .findPagedList();
+   *
+   *       // fetch the total row count in the background
+   *       pagedList.loadCount();
+   *
+   *       List<OrderDto> orders = pagedList.getList();
+   *       int totalRowCount = pagedList.getTotalCount();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   *
+   * @return The PagedList
+   */
+  PagedList<T> findPagedList();
+
 }

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/ExpressionList.java

@@ -103,6 +103,29 @@ public interface ExpressionList<T> {
    */
   <D> DtoQuery<D> asDto(Class<D> dtoClass);
 
+  /**
+   * Map the query result to a nested DTO graph, automatically deriving the select()/fetch() spec
+   * from the target DTO's declared shape and forcing {@code setUnmodifiable(true)}.
+   * <p>
+   * Distinct from {@link #asDto(Class)} (the flat, single-row SQL pipeline) - this supports
+   * nested ToOne/ToMany DTO graphs, mapped from the normal ORM entity query result.
+   *
+   * @throws jakarta.persistence.PersistenceException if no generated {@link DtoMapper} is
+   *     registered for this (entity, dto) pair.
+   */
+  <D> MappedQuery<D> mapTo(Class<D> dtoType);
+
+  /**
+   * Map the query result to a nested DTO graph using an already-resolved {@link DtoMapper}
+   * instance, rather than looking one up by (entity, dtoType) - e.g. to select a named variant
+   * mapper (see {@code @DtoMapping(name = "...", exclude = "...")}), such as
+   * {@code query.mapTo(User.class, userMapper.noFleets())}.
+   *
+   * @param dtoType the DTO type mapped to (must match {@code mapper}'s target type)
+   * @param mapper the mapper instance to use, e.g. a named variant accessor on a generated mapper
+   */
+  <D> MappedQuery<D> mapTo(Class<D> dtoType, DtoMapper<T, D> mapper);
+
   /**
    * Return the underlying query as an UpdateQuery.
    * <p>
@@ -205,6 +228,22 @@ public interface ExpressionList<T> {
    */
   int delete();
 
+  /**
+   * Execute as a delete query permanently deleting the 'root level' beans that match the
+   * predicates in the query without soft delete.
+   * <p>
+   * This is the same as {@link #delete()} except that when the bean type uses soft delete
+   * (e.g. {@code @SoftDelete}) the matching rows are permanently (hard) deleted rather than
+   * being marked as deleted.
+   * <p>
+   * Note that if the query includes joins then the generated delete statement may not be
+   * optimal depending on the database platform.
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * @return the number of rows that were permanently deleted.
+   */
+  int deletePermanent();
+
   /**
    * Execute as a update query.
    *

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/MappedQuery.java

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package io.ebean;
+
+import org.jspecify.annotations.NullMarked;
+import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
+
+import java.sql.Connection;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.stream.Stream;
+
+/**
+ * Query that maps an entity graph query result to a nested DTO graph, produced by
+ * {@code query.mapTo(SomeDto.class)}.
+ * <p>
+ * Distinct from the existing flat, single-row {@link DtoQuery} pipeline (see {@link
+ * QueryBuilder#asDto(Class)}) - this executes the underlying entity ORM query (with the
+ * select()/fetch() spec automatically derived from the target DTO's declared shape, see
+ * {@link DtoMapper#fetchGroup()}), forces {@code setUnmodifiable(true)}, and then maps the
+ * resulting (unmodifiable) entity graph into a DTO graph via the generated {@link DtoMapper},
+ * supporting nested ToOne/ToMany and identity-aware de-duplication.
+ *
+ * @param <D> the target DTO type
+ */
+@NullMarked
+public interface MappedQuery<D> {
+
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning the mapped DTO list.
+   */
+  List<D> findList();
+
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning a paged list of mapped DTOs.
+   * <p>
+   * Mirrors {@code Query#findPagedList()} - the underlying entity graph query is paged (via
+   * {@code setFirstRow(int)}/{@code setMaxRows(int)}) and executed as normal, then each page's
+   * result is mapped to the target DTO graph. Row-count/page-index metadata
+   * ({@link PagedList#getTotalCount()}, {@link PagedList#hasNext()}, etc.) reflects the
+   * underlying entity query and is unaffected by the DTO mapping.
+   */
+  PagedList<D> findPagedList();
+
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning the result as a Stream of mapped DTOs.
+   * <p>
+   * Mirrors {@link QueryBuilder#findStream()} - the underlying entity graph query is streamed
+   * (supporting very large queries iterating any number of results, potentially using multiple
+   * persistence contexts internally) and each entity is mapped to its target DTO lazily as the
+   * stream is consumed, sharing one {@link DtoMapContext} across the whole stream so that
+   * repeated references to the same source entity still de-duplicate to the same DTO instance.
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *  // use try with resources to ensure Stream is closed
+   *
+   *  try (Stream<CustomerDto> stream = query.mapTo(CustomerDto.class).findStream()) {
+   *    stream
+   *    .map(...)
+   *    .collect(...);
+   *  }
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   */
+  Stream<D> findStream();
+
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning a single mapped DTO, or {@code null} if there is no matching row.
+   */
+  @Nullable
+  D findOne();
+
+  /**
+   * Execute the query returning an optional mapped DTO.
+   */
+  Optional<D> findOneOrEmpty();
+
+  /**
+   * Ensure the master DataSource is used when useMaster is true. Otherwise, the read only
+   * data source can be used if defined.
+   */
+  MappedQuery<D> usingMaster(boolean useMaster);
+
+  /**
+   * Use the explicit transaction to execute the query.
+   */
+  MappedQuery<D> usingTransaction(Transaction transaction);
+
+  /**
+   * Execute the query using the given connection.
+   */
+  MappedQuery<D> usingConnection(Connection connection);
+
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/QueryBuilder.java

@@ -77,6 +77,32 @@ public interface QueryBuilder<SELF extends QueryBuilder<SELF, T>, T> extends Que
    */
   <D> DtoQuery<D> asDto(Class<D> dtoClass);
 
+  /**
+   * Map the query result to a nested DTO graph, automatically deriving the select()/fetch() spec
+   * from the target DTO's declared shape and forcing {@code setUnmodifiable(true)}.
+   * <p>
+   * Distinct from {@link #asDto(Class)} (the flat, single-row SQL pipeline) - this supports
+   * nested ToOne/ToMany DTO graphs, mapped from the normal ORM entity query result.
+   *
+   * @throws jakarta.persistence.PersistenceException if no generated {@link DtoMapper} is
+   *     registered for this (entity, dto) pair.
+   */
+  <D> MappedQuery<D> mapTo(Class<D> dtoType);
+
+  /**
+   * Map the query result to a nested DTO graph using an already-resolved {@link DtoMapper}
+   * instance, rather than looking one up by (entity, dtoType). Bypasses {@link DtoMapperManager}
+   * entirely, so it's the way to select a named variant mapper (see {@code @DtoMapping(name =
+   * "...", exclude = "...")}) - e.g. {@code query.mapTo(User.class, userMapper.noFleets())}.
+   * <p>
+   * Also forces {@code setUnmodifiable(true)} and derives the select()/fetch() spec from
+   * {@code mapper.fetchGroup()}, same as {@link #mapTo(Class)}.
+   *
+   * @param dtoType the DTO type mapped to (must match {@code mapper}'s target type)
+   * @param mapper the mapper instance to use, e.g. a named variant accessor on a generated mapper
+   */
+  <D> MappedQuery<D> mapTo(Class<D> dtoType, DtoMapper<T, D> mapper);
+
   /**
    * Convert the query to a UpdateQuery.
    * <p>
@@ -607,6 +633,21 @@ public interface QueryBuilder<SELF extends QueryBuilder<SELF, T>, T> extends Que
    */
   int delete();
 
+  /**
+   * Execute as a delete query permanently deleting the 'root level' beans that match the
+   * predicates in the query without soft delete.
+   * <p>
+   * This is the same as {@link #delete()} except that when the bean type uses soft delete
+   * (e.g. {@code @SoftDelete}) the matching rows are permanently (hard) deleted rather than
+   * being marked as deleted.
+   * <p>
+   * Note that if the query includes joins then the generated delete statement may not be
+   * optimal depending on the database platform.
+   *
+   * @return the number of beans/rows that were permanently deleted.
+   */
+  int deletePermanent();
+
   /**
    * Execute the query returning true if a row is found.
    * <p>

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/RawSqlBuilder.java

@@ -41,6 +41,49 @@ public interface RawSqlBuilder {
     return XBootstrapService.rawSql().unparsed(sql);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return a RawSqlBuilder for SQL containing {@code ${where}}, {@code ${having}} and/or
+   * {@code ${orderBy}} placeholder(s). Unlike {@link #parse(String)} this does NOT attempt to parse
+   * the SELECT columns, so it supports complex SQL such as CTEs, subqueries, and window functions.
+   * <p>
+   * Explicit column mappings must be provided (as with {@link #unparsed(String)}), but
+   * WHERE, HAVING and ORDER BY expressions can be added dynamically via the query API - provided
+   * the corresponding placeholder is present in the SQL. If a query calls {@code .orderBy(...)}
+   * on a template with no {@code ${orderBy}}/{@code ${andOrderBy}} placeholder, that ordering is
+   * ignored (there is no injection point for it) rather than producing invalid SQL.
+   * </p>
+   * <p>
+   * Available placeholders:
+   * </p>
+   * <ul>
+   *   <li>{@code ${where}} / {@code ${andWhere}} - inject "where &lt;expr&gt;" / "and &lt;expr&gt;"</li>
+   *   <li>{@code ${having}} / {@code ${andHaving}} - inject "having &lt;expr&gt;" / "and &lt;expr&gt;"</li>
+   *   <li>{@code ${orderBy}} / {@code ${andOrderBy}} - inject "order by &lt;expr&gt;" / ", &lt;expr&gt;"</li>
+   * </ul>
+   * <h3>Example:</h3>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   String sql = """
+   *     with agg as (
+   *       select company_id, sum(amount) as total
+   *       from orders
+   *       ${where}
+   *       group by company_id
+   *     )
+   *     select company_id, total from agg ${orderBy}
+   *     """;
+   *
+   *   RawSql rawSql = RawSqlBuilder.withPlaceholders(sql)
+   *     .columnMapping("company_id", "companyId")
+   *     .columnMapping("total", "total")
+   *     .create();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   */
+  static RawSqlBuilder withPlaceholders(String sql) {
+    return XBootstrapService.rawSql().withPlaceholders(sql);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Return a RawSqlBuilder parsing the sql.
    * <p>

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/Transaction.java

@@ -260,6 +260,27 @@ public interface Transaction extends AutoCloseable {
    */
   void setUpdateAllLoadedProperties(boolean updateAllLoadedProperties);
 
+  /**
+   * Set to false to disable auto-generation of {@code @WhenCreated}, {@code @WhenModified},
+   * {@code @WhoCreated} and {@code @WhoModified} values for this transaction.
+   * <p>
+   * When disabled, Ebean will only set a generated property value if the property currently
+   * has a null value (for inserts) or is a {@code @Version} property. Any value already set
+   * on the bean is preserved.
+   * <p>
+   * This is useful in backup and restore scenarios where you need to retain the original
+   * audit timestamps and user values rather than have them overwritten.
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *   try (Transaction txn = DB.beginTransaction()) {
+   *     txn.setGeneratedPropertiesEnabled(false);
+   *     bean.setWhenCreated(originalTimestamp);
+   *     DB.save(bean);
+   *     txn.commit();
+   *   }
+   * }</pre>
+   */
+  void setGeneratedPropertiesEnabled(boolean enable);
+
   /**
    * Set if the L2 cache should be skipped for "find by id" and "find by natural key" queries.
    * <p>

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/bean/InterceptReadOnly.java

@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ public final class InterceptReadOnly extends InterceptBase {
 
   @Override
   public boolean isUpdate() {
-    return false;
+    return true;
   }
 
   @Override

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/common/BeanList.java

@@ -151,14 +151,16 @@ public final class BeanList<E> extends AbstractBeanCollection<E> implements List
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Set the actual underlying list.
-   * <p>
-   * This is primarily for the deferred fetching function.
-   */
-  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-  public void setActualList(List<?> list) {
-    this.list = (List<E>) list;
+  public BeanCollectionAdd collectionAdd() {
+    if (list == null) {
+      list = new ArrayList<>();
+    }
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  public void refresh(ModifyListenMode modifyListenMode, BeanList<E> newList) {
+    setModifyListening(modifyListenMode);
+    this.list = newList.actualList();
   }
 
   /**

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/common/BeanMap.java

@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 package io.ebean.common;
 
-import io.ebean.bean.BeanCollection;
-import io.ebean.bean.BeanCollectionLoader;
-import io.ebean.bean.EntityBean;
-import io.ebean.bean.ToStringBuilder;
+import io.ebean.bean.*;
 
 import java.util.*;
 
@@ -17,12 +14,12 @@ public final class BeanMap<K, E> extends AbstractBeanCollection<E> implements Ma
   /**
    * The underlying map implementation.
    */
-  private Map<K, E> map;
+  private LinkedHashMap<K, E> map;
 
   /**
    * Create with a given Map.
    */
-  public BeanMap(Map<K, E> map) {
+  public BeanMap(LinkedHashMap<K, E> map) {
     this.map = map;
   }
 
@@ -165,18 +162,23 @@ public final class BeanMap<K, E> extends AbstractBeanCollection<E> implements Ma
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Set the actual underlying map. Used for performing lazy fetch.
-   */
+  public LinkedHashMap<K, E> collectionAdd() {
+    if (map == null) {
+      map = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+    }
+    return map;
+  }
+
   @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-  public void setActualMap(Map<?, ?> map) {
-    this.map = (Map<K, E>) map;
+  public void refresh(ModifyListenMode modifyListenMode, BeanMap<?, ?> newMap) {
+    setModifyListening(modifyListenMode);
+    this.map = (LinkedHashMap<K, E>) newMap.actualMap();
   }
 
   /**
    * Return the actual underlying map.
    */
-  public Map<K, E> actualMap() {
+  public LinkedHashMap<K, E> actualMap() {
     return map;
   }
 

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/common/BeanSet.java

@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ public final class BeanSet<E> extends AbstractBeanCollection<E> implements Set<E
   /**
    * The underlying Set implementation.
    */
-  private Set<E> set;
+  private LinkedHashSet<E> set;
 
   /**
    * Create with a specific Set implementation.
    */
-  public BeanSet(Set<E> set) {
+  public BeanSet(LinkedHashSet<E> set) {
     this.set = set;
   }
 
@@ -146,18 +146,22 @@ public final class BeanSet<E> extends AbstractBeanCollection<E> implements Set<E
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Set the underlying set (used for lazy fetch).
-   */
-  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-  public void setActualSet(Set<?> set) {
-    this.set = (Set<E>) set;
+  public BeanCollectionAdd collectionAdd() {
+    if (set == null) {
+      set = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+    }
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  public void refresh(ModifyListenMode modifyListenMode, BeanSet<E> newSet) {
+    setModifyListening(modifyListenMode);
+    this.set = newSet.actualSet();
   }
 
   /**
    * Return the actual underlying set.
    */
-  public Set<E> actualSet() {
+  public LinkedHashSet<E> actualSet() {
     return set;
   }
 

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/config/DatabaseConfig.java

@@ -432,6 +432,8 @@ public class DatabaseConfig implements DatabaseBuilder.Settings {
   private int backgroundExecutorShutdownSecs = 30;
   private BackgroundExecutorWrapper backgroundExecutorWrapper = new MdcBackgroundExecutorWrapper();
 
+  private boolean tenantPartitionedCache;
+
   // defaults for the L2 bean caching
 
   private int cacheMaxSize = 10000;
@@ -1175,6 +1177,17 @@ public class DatabaseConfig implements DatabaseBuilder.Settings {
     return cacheMaxSize;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public boolean isTenantPartitionedCache() {
+    return tenantPartitionedCache;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public DatabaseConfig tenantPartitionedCache(boolean tenantPartitionedCache) {
+    this.tenantPartitionedCache = tenantPartitionedCache;
+    return this;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public DatabaseConfig setCacheMaxSize(int cacheMaxSize) {
     this.cacheMaxSize = cacheMaxSize;
@@ -2228,6 +2241,15 @@ public class DatabaseConfig implements DatabaseBuilder.Settings {
     ddlPlaceholders = p.get("ddl.placeholders", ddlPlaceholders);
     ddlHeader = p.get("ddl.header", ddlHeader);
 
+    tenantPartitionedCache = p.getBoolean("tenantPartitionedCache", tenantPartitionedCache);
+
+    cacheMaxSize = p.getInt("cacheMaxSize", cacheMaxSize);
+    cacheMaxIdleTime = p.getInt("cacheMaxIdleTime", cacheMaxIdleTime);
+    cacheMaxTimeToLive = p.getInt("cacheMaxTimeToLive", cacheMaxTimeToLive);
+    queryCacheMaxSize = p.getInt("queryCacheMaxSize", queryCacheMaxSize);
+    queryCacheMaxIdleTime = p.getInt("queryCacheMaxIdleTime", queryCacheMaxIdleTime);
+    queryCacheMaxTimeToLive = p.getInt("queryCacheMaxTimeToLive", queryCacheMaxTimeToLive);
+
     // read tenant-configuration from config:
     // tenant.mode = NONE | DB | SCHEMA | CATALOG | PARTITION
     String mode = p.get("tenant.mode");

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/config/DtoMapperRegister.java

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package io.ebean.config;
+
+import io.ebean.DtoMapper;
+
+/**
+ * Loads and returns the {@link DtoMapper} to use for a given DTO type, generated per-module by
+ * the querybean-generator annotation processor for each {@code io.ebean.annotation.DtoMapping}
+ * registered pair.
+ * <p>
+ * Implementations resolve purely via literal {@code Class} comparisons (no reflection,
+ * {@code Class.forName}, or {@code MethodHandles}) - safe under GraalVM native-image with zero
+ * additional reachability metadata - mirroring {@link EntityClassRegister}.
+ */
+public interface DtoMapperRegister {
+
+  /**
+   * Return the mapper for the given DTO type, or {@code null} if this register has no mapper for
+   * that type.
+   */
+  <SOURCE,TARGET> DtoMapper<SOURCE, TARGET> mapperFor(Class<SOURCE> sourceType, Class<TARGET> targetType);
+
+  /**
+   * Return the mapper instance of the given concrete generated mapper type, or {@code null} if
+   * this register has no mapper of that type.
+   * <p>
+   * An alternative to {@link #mapperFor(Class, Class)} for looking up a mapper by its own class
+   * (e.g. {@code CustomerDtoMapper.class}) rather than by its (source, target) pair - typically
+   * used to resolve a mapper instance for dependency injection into application code.
+   */
+  <T> T mapperOfType(Class<T> mapperType);
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/config/dbplatform/DatabasePlatform.java

@@ -162,6 +162,18 @@ public class DatabasePlatform {
   protected boolean selectCountWithAlias;
   protected boolean selectCountWithColumnAlias;
 
+  /**
+   * Set true for platforms where {@code exists(...)} can only be used as a predicate
+   * and not as a directly selectable scalar boolean expression (e.g. SQL Server, Oracle).
+   */
+  protected boolean existsWithCaseWhen;
+
+  /**
+   * Clause appended after the {@code case when exists(...) then 1 else 0 end} exists query
+   * for platforms that require a FROM clause on every select (e.g. {@code from dual} on Oracle).
+   */
+  protected String existsFromClause = "";
+
   /**
    * If set then use the FORWARD ONLY hint when creating ResultSets for
    * findIterate() and findVisit().
@@ -660,6 +672,21 @@ public class DatabasePlatform {
     return selectCountWithColumnAlias;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return true if a scalar boolean {@code exists(...)} expression is not supported
+   * as a select expression and needs to be wrapped as {@code case when exists(...) then 1 else 0 end}.
+   */
+  public boolean existsWithCaseWhen() {
+    return existsWithCaseWhen;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the clause to append after the exists case-when wrapping (e.g. {@code from dual} on Oracle).
+   */
+  public String existsFromClause() {
+    return existsFromClause;
+  }
+
 
   public String completeSql(String sql, Query<?> query) {
     if (query.isForUpdate()) {

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/config/dbplatform/SequenceIdGenerator.java

@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ import java.sql.Connection;
 import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
 import java.sql.ResultSet;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
+import java.util.ArrayDeque;
 import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.Deque;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.NavigableSet;
-import java.util.TreeSet;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock;
 
@@ -23,18 +25,36 @@ import static java.lang.System.Logger.Level.ERROR;
 
 /**
  * Database sequence based IdGenerator.
+ * <p>
+ * Maintains a separate buffer of pre-fetched id values per tenant when the supplied
+ * DataSource implements {@link TenantConnectionSource}. For the common single-tenant
+ * case a single buffer is used (keyed by {@link #SINGLE}).
  */
 public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
 
   protected static final System.Logger log = AppLog.getLogger("io.ebean.SEQ");
 
-  private final ReentrantLock lock = new ReentrantLock();
+  /**
+   * Buffer key used when there is no current tenant (single-tenant or no tenant in scope).
+   */
+  private static final Object SINGLE = new Object();
+
   protected final String seqName;
   protected final DataSource dataSource;
   protected final BackgroundExecutor backgroundExecutor;
-  protected final NavigableSet<Long> idList = new TreeSet<>();
   protected final int allocationSize;
-  protected AtomicBoolean currentlyBackgroundLoading = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+  private final TenantConnectionSource tenantSource;
+  private final TenantBuffer single = new TenantBuffer();
+  private final ConcurrentMap<Object, TenantBuffer> buffers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+
+  /**
+   * Per-tenant pre-fetched id buffer with its own lock and background-loading flag.
+   */
+  private static final class TenantBuffer {
+    final ReentrantLock lock = new ReentrantLock();
+    final Deque<Long> idList = new ArrayDeque<>();
+    final AtomicBoolean currentlyBackgroundLoading = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+  }
 
   /**
    * Construct given a dataSource and sql to return the next sequence value.
@@ -44,6 +64,7 @@ public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
     this.dataSource = ds;
     this.seqName = seqName;
     this.allocationSize = allocationSize;
+    this.tenantSource = (ds instanceof TenantConnectionSource) ? (TenantConnectionSource) ds : null;
   }
 
   public abstract String getSql(int batchSize);
@@ -64,6 +85,24 @@ public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
     return true;
   }
 
+  private Object currentTenantKey() {
+    if (tenantSource != null) {
+      Object tenantId = tenantSource.currentTenantId();
+      if (tenantId != null) {
+        return tenantId;
+      }
+    }
+    return SINGLE;
+  }
+
+  private TenantBuffer buffer(Object tenantKey) {
+    if (tenantKey == SINGLE) {
+      // common single-tenant path - avoid the concurrent map lookup
+      return single;
+    }
+    return buffers.computeIfAbsent(tenantKey, k -> new TenantBuffer());
+  }
+
   /**
    * If allocateSize is large load some sequences in a background thread.
    * <p>
@@ -78,23 +117,22 @@ public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
 
   /**
    * Return the next Id.
-   * <p>
-   * If a Transaction has been passed in use the Connection from it.
-   * </p>
    */
   @Override
   public Object nextId(Transaction t) {
-    lock.lock();
+    Object tenantKey = currentTenantKey();
+    TenantBuffer buffer = buffer(tenantKey);
+    buffer.lock.lock();
     try {
-      int size = idList.size();
+      int size = buffer.idList.size();
       if (size > 0) {
         maybeLoadMoreInBackground(size);
       } else {
-        loadMore(allocationSize);
+        loadMore(tenantKey, buffer, allocationSize);
       }
-      return idList.pollFirst();
+      return buffer.idList.poll();
     } finally {
-      lock.unlock();
+      buffer.lock.unlock();
     }
   }
 
@@ -106,29 +144,36 @@ public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
     }
   }
 
-  private void loadMore(int requestSize) {
-    List<Long> newIds = getMoreIds(requestSize);
-    lock.lock();
+  private void loadMore(Object tenantKey, TenantBuffer buffer, int requestSize) {
+    List<Long> newIds = getMoreIds(tenantKey, requestSize);
+    buffer.lock.lock();
     try {
-      idList.addAll(newIds);
+      buffer.idList.addAll(newIds);
     } finally {
-      lock.unlock();
+      buffer.lock.unlock();
     }
   }
 
   /**
    * Load another batch of Id's using a background thread.
+   * <p>
+   * The tenant is captured here (submit time) as the current tenant is not in scope
+   * on the background executor thread.
    */
   protected void loadInBackground(final int requestSize) {
-    if (currentlyBackgroundLoading.get()) {
+    final Object tenantKey = currentTenantKey();
+    final TenantBuffer buffer = buffer(tenantKey);
+    if (!buffer.currentlyBackgroundLoading.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
       // skip as already background loading
       log.log(DEBUG, "... skip background sequence load (another load in progress)");
       return;
     }
-    currentlyBackgroundLoading.set(true);
     backgroundExecutor.execute(() -> {
-      loadMore(requestSize);
-      currentlyBackgroundLoading.set(false);
+      try {
+        loadMore(tenantKey, buffer, requestSize);
+      } finally {
+        buffer.currentlyBackgroundLoading.set(false);
+      }
     });
   }
 
@@ -140,7 +185,7 @@ public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
   /**
    * Get more Id's by executing a query and reading the Id's returned.
    */
-  protected List<Long> getMoreIds(int requestSize) {
+  protected List<Long> getMoreIds(Object tenantKey, int requestSize) {
 
     String sql = getSql(requestSize);
 
@@ -148,7 +193,7 @@ public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
     PreparedStatement statement = null;
     ResultSet resultSet = null;
     try {
-      connection = dataSource.getConnection();
+      connection = connectionFor(tenantKey);
 
       statement = connection.prepareStatement(sql);
       resultSet = statement.executeQuery();
@@ -174,6 +219,17 @@ public abstract class SequenceIdGenerator implements PlatformIdGenerator {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return a connection for the given tenant. For multi-tenant this is routed to the
+   * tenant database/schema/catalog; otherwise the plain DataSource connection is used.
+   */
+  private Connection connectionFor(Object tenantKey) throws SQLException {
+    if (tenantSource != null && tenantKey != SINGLE) {
+      return tenantSource.connectionForTenant(tenantKey);
+    }
+    return dataSource.getConnection();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Close the JDBC resources.
    */

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/config/dbplatform/TenantConnectionSource.java

@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package io.ebean.config.dbplatform;
+
+import java.sql.Connection;
+import java.sql.SQLException;
+
+/**
+ * Optionally implemented by the DataSource passed to a {@link SequenceIdGenerator}
+ * to make sequence id allocation multi-tenant aware.
+ * <p>
+ * When the DataSource implements this interface the sequence generator maintains
+ * a separate id buffer per tenant and obtains connections that are routed to the
+ * correct tenant database (TenantMode.DB) or schema/catalog (TenantMode.SCHEMA / CATALOG).
+ * <p>
+ * The {@link #connectionForTenant(Object)} method takes an explicit tenantId so that
+ * background pre-fetch (which runs on a separate thread without the current tenant
+ * in scope) can fetch sequence values for the tenant captured at submit time.
+ */
+public interface TenantConnectionSource {
+
+  /**
+   * Return the current tenant id, or null when there is no current tenant scope.
+   */
+  Object currentTenantId();
+
+  /**
+   * Return a connection routed to the given tenant (its database, schema or catalog).
+   */
+  Connection connectionForTenant(Object tenantId) throws SQLException;
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/event/ShutdownManager.java

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package io.ebean.event;
 
 import io.ebean.Database;
+import io.ebean.DatabaseFactory;
 import io.ebean.EbeanVersion;
 import io.ebean.service.SpiContainer;
 
@@ -188,6 +189,7 @@ public final class ShutdownManager {
    */
   public static void unregisterDatabase(Database server) {
     databases.remove(server);
+    DatabaseFactory.unregister(server);
   }
 
   private static class ShutdownHook extends Thread {

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/meta/MetaQueryPlan.java

@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ public interface MetaQueryPlan {
    */
   String plan();
 
+  /**
+   * The tenant ID of the plan.
+   */
+  Object tenantId();
+
   /**
    * Return the query execution time associated with the bind values capture.
    */

ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/service/SpiRawSqlService.java

@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ public interface SpiRawSqlService extends BootstrapService {
    */
   RawSqlBuilder unparsed(String sql);
 
+  /**
+   * SQL with ${where}/${having} placeholder(s) but no SELECT column parsing.
+   * Supports complex SQL (CTEs, window functions) where keyword parsing would fail.
+   * Explicit column mapping is required (as with unparsed).
+   */
+  RawSqlBuilder withPlaceholders(String sql);
+
   /**
    * Create based on a JDBC ResultSet.
    *

ebean-api/src/main/java21/io/ebean/common/BeanMap.java

@@ -0,0 +1,432 @@
+package io.ebean.common;
+
+import io.ebean.bean.*;
+
+import java.util.*;
+
+/**
+ * Map capable of lazy loading and modification aware.
+ */
+public final class BeanMap<K, E> extends AbstractBeanCollection<E> implements SequencedMap<K, E> {
+
+  private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+  /**
+   * The underlying map implementation.
+   */
+  private LinkedHashMap<K, E> map;
+
+  /**
+   * Create with a given Map.
+   */
+  public BeanMap(LinkedHashMap<K, E> map) {
+    this.map = map;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create using a underlying LinkedHashMap.
+   */
+  public BeanMap() {
+    this(new LinkedHashMap<>());
+  }
+
+  public BeanMap(BeanCollectionLoader ebeanServer, EntityBean ownerBean, String propertyName) {
+    super(ebeanServer, ownerBean, propertyName);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Map<K, E> freeze() {
+    return map == null ? null : Collections.unmodifiableMap(map);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void toString(ToStringBuilder builder) {
+    if (map == null || map.isEmpty()) {
+      builder.addRaw("{}");
+    } else {
+      builder.addRaw("{");
+      for (Entry<K, E> entry : map.entrySet()) {
+        builder.add(String.valueOf(entry.getKey()), entry.getValue());
+      }
+      builder.addRaw("}");
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void reset(EntityBean ownerBean, String propertyName) {
+    this.ownerBean = ownerBean;
+    this.propertyName = propertyName;
+    this.map = null;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isSkipSave() {
+    return map == null || (map.isEmpty() && !holdsModifications());
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public void loadFrom(BeanCollection<?> other) {
+    BeanMap<K, E> otherMap = (BeanMap<K, E>) other;
+    internalPutNull();
+    map.putAll(otherMap.actualMap());
+  }
+
+  public void internalPutNull() {
+    if (map == null) {
+      map = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+    }
+  }
+
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public void internalPut(Object key, Object bean) {
+    if (map == null) {
+      map = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+    }
+    if (key != null) {
+      map.put((K) key, (E) bean);
+    }
+  }
+
+  public void internalPutWithCheck(Object key, Object bean) {
+    if (map == null || key == null || !map.containsKey(key)) {
+      internalPut(key, bean);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void internalAddWithCheck(Object bean) {
+    throw new RuntimeException("Not allowed for map");
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void internalAdd(Object bean) {
+    throw new RuntimeException("Not allowed for map");
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return true if the underlying map has been populated. Returns false if it
+   * has a deferred fetch pending.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean isPopulated() {
+    return map != null;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return true if this is a reference (lazy loading) bean collection. This is
+   * the same as !isPopulated();
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean isReference() {
+    return map == null;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean checkEmptyLazyLoad() {
+    if (map == null) {
+      map = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+      return true;
+    } else {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private void initClear() {
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      if (map == null) {
+        if (!disableLazyLoad && modifyListening) {
+          lazyLoadCollection(true);
+        } else {
+          map = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        }
+      }
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
+  private void init() {
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      if (map == null) {
+        if (disableLazyLoad) {
+          map = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+        } else {
+          lazyLoadCollection(false);
+        }
+      }
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
+  public LinkedHashMap<K, E> collectionAdd() {
+    if (map == null) {
+      map = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+    }
+    return map;
+  }
+
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public void refresh(ModifyListenMode modifyListenMode, BeanMap<?, ?> newMap) {
+    setModifyListening(modifyListenMode);
+    this.map = (LinkedHashMap<K, E>) newMap.actualMap();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the actual underlying map.
+   */
+  public LinkedHashMap<K, E> actualMap() {
+    return map;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the collection of beans (map values).
+   */
+  @Override
+  public Collection<E> actualDetails() {
+    return map.values();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the map entrySet.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public Collection<?> actualEntries() {
+    return map.entrySet();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public String toString() {
+    if (map == null) {
+      return "BeanMap<deferred>";
+    } else {
+      return map.toString();
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Equal if object is a Map and equal in a Map sense.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean equals(Object object) {
+    init();
+    return map.equals(object);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public int hashCode() {
+    init();
+    return map.hashCode();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void clear() {
+    initClear();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      // add all beans to the removal list
+      for (E bean : map.values()) {
+        modifyRemoval(bean);
+      }
+    }
+    map.clear();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean containsKey(Object key) {
+    init();
+    return map.containsKey(key);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean containsValue(Object value) {
+    init();
+    return map.containsValue(value);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Set<Entry<K, E>> entrySet() {
+    init();
+    return modifyListening ? new ModifyEntrySet<>(this, map.entrySet()) : map.entrySet();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E get(Object key) {
+    init();
+    return map.get(key);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isEmpty() {
+    init();
+    return map.isEmpty();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Set<K> keySet() {
+    init();
+    return modifyListening ? new ModifyKeySet<>(this, map.keySet()) : map.keySet();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E put(K key, E value) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      E oldBean = map.put(key, value);
+      if (value != oldBean) {
+        // register the add of the new and the removal of the old
+        modifyAddition(value);
+        modifyRemoval(oldBean);
+      }
+      return oldBean;
+    } else {
+      return map.put(key, value);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void putAll(Map<? extends K, ? extends E> puts) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      for (Entry<? extends K, ? extends E> entry : puts.entrySet()) {
+        Object oldBean = map.put(entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());
+        if (entry.getValue() != oldBean) {
+          modifyAddition(entry.getValue());
+          modifyRemoval(oldBean);
+        }
+      }
+    } else {
+      map.putAll(puts);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void addBean(E bean) {
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Method not allowed on Map. Please use List instead.");
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void removeBean(E bean) {
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Method not allowed on Map. Please use List instead.");
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E remove(Object key) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      E o = map.remove(key);
+      modifyRemoval(o);
+      return o;
+    }
+    return map.remove(key);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public int size() {
+    init();
+    return map.size();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Collection<E> values() {
+    init();
+    return modifyListening ? new ModifyCollection<>(this, map.values()) : map.values();
+  }
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------//
+  // SequencedMap (Java 21+)
+  // -----------------------------------------------------//
+
+  @Override
+  public SequencedMap<K, E> reversed() {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported on modify listening map");
+    }
+    return map.reversed();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Entry<K, E> firstEntry() {
+    init();
+    return map.firstEntry();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Entry<K, E> lastEntry() {
+    init();
+    return map.lastEntry();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Entry<K, E> pollFirstEntry() {
+    init();
+    Entry<K, E> entry = map.pollFirstEntry();
+    if (modifyListening && entry != null) {
+      modifyRemoval(entry.getValue());
+    }
+    return entry;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Entry<K, E> pollLastEntry() {
+    init();
+    Entry<K, E> entry = map.pollLastEntry();
+    if (modifyListening && entry != null) {
+      modifyRemoval(entry.getValue());
+    }
+    return entry;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E putFirst(K key, E value) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      E oldBean = map.putFirst(key, value);
+      if (value != oldBean) {
+        // register the add of the new and the removal of the old
+        modifyAddition(value);
+        modifyRemoval(oldBean);
+      }
+      return oldBean;
+    } else {
+      return map.putFirst(key, value);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E putLast(K key, E value) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      E oldBean = map.putLast(key, value);
+      if (value != oldBean) {
+        // register the add of the new and the removal of the old
+        modifyAddition(value);
+        modifyRemoval(oldBean);
+      }
+      return oldBean;
+    } else {
+      return map.putLast(key, value);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public SequencedSet<K> sequencedKeySet() {
+    init();
+    return map.sequencedKeySet();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public SequencedCollection<E> sequencedValues() {
+    init();
+    return map.sequencedValues();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public SequencedSet<Entry<K, E>> sequencedEntrySet() {
+    init();
+    return map.sequencedEntrySet();
+  }
+}

ebean-api/src/main/java21/io/ebean/common/BeanSet.java

@@ -0,0 +1,419 @@
+package io.ebean.common;
+
+import io.ebean.bean.*;
+
+import java.util.*;
+
+/**
+ * Set capable of lazy loading and modification aware.
+ */
+public final class BeanSet<E> extends AbstractBeanCollection<E> implements SequencedSet<E>, BeanCollectionAdd {
+
+  private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+  /**
+   * The underlying Set implementation.
+   */
+  private LinkedHashSet<E> set;
+
+  /**
+   * Create with a specific Set implementation.
+   */
+  public BeanSet(LinkedHashSet<E> set) {
+    this.set = set;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create using an underlying LinkedHashSet.
+   */
+  public BeanSet() {
+    this(new LinkedHashSet<>());
+  }
+
+  public BeanSet(BeanCollectionLoader loader, EntityBean ownerBean, String propertyName) {
+    super(loader, ownerBean, propertyName);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Set<E> freeze() {
+    return set == null ? null : Collections.unmodifiableSet(set);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void toString(ToStringBuilder builder) {
+    builder.addCollection(set);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void reset(EntityBean ownerBean, String propertyName) {
+    this.ownerBean = ownerBean;
+    this.propertyName = propertyName;
+    this.set = null;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isSkipSave() {
+    return set == null || (set.isEmpty() && !holdsModifications());
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public void addEntityBean(EntityBean bean) {
+    set.add((E) bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public void loadFrom(BeanCollection<?> other) {
+    if (set == null) {
+      set = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+    }
+    set.addAll((Collection<? extends E>) other.actualDetails());
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void internalAddWithCheck(Object bean) {
+    // set add() already de-dups so just add it
+    internalAdd(bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public void internalAdd(Object bean) {
+    if (set == null) {
+      set = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+    }
+    if (bean != null) {
+      set.add((E) bean);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns true if the underlying set has its data.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean isPopulated() {
+    return set != null;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return true if this is a reference (lazy loading) bean collection. This is
+   * the same as !isPopulated();
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean isReference() {
+    return set == null;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean checkEmptyLazyLoad() {
+    if (set == null) {
+      set = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+      return true;
+    } else {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private void initClear() {
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      if (set == null) {
+        if (!disableLazyLoad && modifyListening) {
+          lazyLoadCollection(false);
+        } else {
+          set = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+        }
+      }
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
+  private void init() {
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      if (set == null) {
+        if (disableLazyLoad) {
+          set = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+        } else {
+          lazyLoadCollection(false);
+        }
+      }
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
+  public BeanCollectionAdd collectionAdd() {
+    if (set == null) {
+      set = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+    }
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  public void refresh(ModifyListenMode modifyListenMode, BeanSet<E> newSet) {
+    setModifyListening(modifyListenMode);
+    this.set = newSet.actualSet();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the actual underlying set.
+   */
+  public LinkedHashSet<E> actualSet() {
+    return set;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Collection<E> actualDetails() {
+    return set;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Collection<?> actualEntries() {
+    return set;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public String toString() {
+    if (set == null) {
+      return "BeanSet<deferred>";
+    } else {
+      return set.toString();
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Equal if obj is a Set and equal in a Set sense.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean equals(Object obj) {
+    init();
+    return set.equals(obj);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public int hashCode() {
+    init();
+    return set.hashCode();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void addBean(E bean) {
+    add(bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void removeBean(E bean) {
+    if (set.remove(bean)) {
+      getModifyHolder().modifyRemoval(bean);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------//
+  // proxy method for map
+  // -----------------------------------------------------//
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean add(E bean) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      if (set.add(bean)) {
+        modifyAddition(bean);
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+    return set.add(bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean addAll(Collection<? extends E> beans) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      boolean changed = false;
+      for (E bean : beans) {
+        if (set.add(bean)) {
+          // register the addition of the bean
+          modifyAddition(bean);
+          changed = true;
+        }
+      }
+      return changed;
+    }
+    return set.addAll(beans);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void clear() {
+    initClear();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      for (E bean : set) {
+        modifyRemoval(bean);
+      }
+    }
+    set.clear();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean contains(Object bean) {
+    init();
+    return set.contains(bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean containsAll(Collection<?> beans) {
+    init();
+    return set.containsAll(beans);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isEmpty() {
+    init();
+    return set.isEmpty();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Iterator<E> iterator() {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      return new ModifyIterator<>(this, set.iterator());
+    }
+    return set.iterator();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean remove(Object bean) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      if (set.remove(bean)) {
+        modifyRemoval(bean);
+        return true;
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+    return set.remove(bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean removeAll(Collection<?> beans) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      boolean changed = false;
+      for (Object bean : beans) {
+        if (set.remove(bean)) {
+          modifyRemoval(bean);
+          changed = true;
+        }
+      }
+      return changed;
+    }
+    return set.removeAll(beans);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean retainAll(Collection<?> beans) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      boolean changed = false;
+      Iterator<?> it = set.iterator();
+      while (it.hasNext()) {
+        Object bean = it.next();
+        if (!beans.contains(bean)) {
+          // not retaining this bean so add it to the removal list
+          it.remove();
+          modifyRemoval(bean);
+          changed = true;
+        }
+      }
+      return changed;
+    }
+    return set.retainAll(beans);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public int size() {
+    init();
+    return set.size();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Object[] toArray() {
+    init();
+    return set.toArray();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public <T> T[] toArray(T[] array) {
+    init();
+    //noinspection SuspiciousToArrayCall
+    return set.toArray(array);
+  }
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------//
+  // SequencedSet (Java 21+)
+  // -----------------------------------------------------//
+
+  @Override
+  public SequencedSet<E> reversed() {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not supported on modify listening set");
+    }
+    return set.reversed();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void addFirst(E bean) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      modifyAddition(bean);
+    }
+    set.addFirst(bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void addLast(E bean) {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      modifyAddition(bean);
+    }
+    set.addLast(bean);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E getFirst() {
+    init();
+    return set.getFirst();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E getLast() {
+    init();
+    return set.getLast();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E removeFirst() {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      E bean = set.removeFirst();
+      modifyRemoval(bean);
+      return bean;
+    }
+    return set.removeFirst();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public E removeLast() {
+    init();
+    if (modifyListening) {
+      E bean = set.removeLast();
+      modifyRemoval(bean);
+      return bean;
+    }
+    return set.removeLast();
+  }
+
+}

ebean-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/bean/ToStringBuilderTest.java

@@ -136,13 +136,13 @@ class ToStringBuilderTest {
   @Test
   void beanSet_null_empty() {
     assertThat(toStringFor(new BeanSet<String>(null))).isEqualTo("[]");
-    assertThat(toStringFor(new BeanSet<String>(Collections.emptySet()))).isEqualTo("[]");
+    assertThat(toStringFor(new BeanSet<String>(new LinkedHashSet<>()))).isEqualTo("[]");
   }
 
   @Test
   void beanMap_null_empty() {
     assertThat(toStringFor(new BeanMap<String, String>(null))).isEqualTo("{}");
-    assertThat(toStringFor(new BeanMap<String, String>(Collections.emptyMap()))).isEqualTo("{}");
+    assertThat(toStringFor(new BeanMap<String, String>(new LinkedHashMap<>()))).isEqualTo("{}");
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class ToStringBuilderTest {
 
   @Test
   void beanMap_some() {
-    Map<String, Recurse> under = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+    var under = new LinkedHashMap<String, Recurse>();
     under.put("a", new Recurse(1, "a"));
     under.put("b", new Recurse(2, "b"));
     BeanMap<String, Recurse> list = new BeanMap<>(under);

ebean-bench/pom.xml

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>ebean-bench</artifactId>

ebean-bom/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>ebean bom</name>
@@ -89,25 +89,25 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-core-type</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
@@ -125,13 +125,13 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-jackson-mapper</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-ddl-generator</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
@@ -155,37 +155,37 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-querybean</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>querybean-generator</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>kotlin-querybean-generator</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-test</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-redis</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-spring-txn</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <!-- platforms -->
@@ -193,91 +193,91 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-clickhouse</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-db2</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-h2</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-hana</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-mariadb</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-mysql</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-nuodb</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-oracle</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-postgres</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-postgis</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-postgis-types</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-pgvector</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-pgvector-types</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-sqlite</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
       <dependency>
         <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
         <artifactId>ebean-sqlserver</artifactId>
-        <version>18.0.0</version>
+        <version>18.2.0</version>
       </dependency>
 
     </dependencies>

ebean-core-json/pom.xml

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>ebean-core-json</artifactId>
   <name>ebean-core-json</name>
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>

ebean-core-type/pom.xml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>ebean-core-type</artifactId>
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.postgresql</groupId>
       <artifactId>postgresql</artifactId>
-      <version>42.7.2</version>
+      <version>42.7.11</version>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
 

ebean-core/pom.xml

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>ebean-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
-    <version>18.0.0</version>
+    <version>18.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>ebean-core</artifactId>
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-api</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core-json</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-core-type</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.postgresql</groupId>
       <artifactId>postgresql</artifactId>
-      <version>42.7.2</version>
+      <version>42.7.11</version>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
 
@@ -157,21 +157,21 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-h2</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-postgres</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
 
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.ebean</groupId>
       <artifactId>ebean-platform-sqlserver</artifactId>
-      <version>18.0.0</version>
+      <version>18.2.0</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
 

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/LoadBeanRequest.java

@@ -100,7 +100,9 @@ public final class LoadBeanRequest extends LoadRequest {
     query.setLoadDescription(mode(), description());
     if (lazy) {
       query.setLazyLoadBatchSize(loadBuffer.batchSize());
-      if (alreadyLoaded) {
+      if (alreadyLoaded || !loadCache) {
+        // alreadyLoaded: bean is being re-loaded, skip the cache to avoid a stale hit
+        // !loadCache: parent context disabled cache (e.g. CacheMode.OFF or asOf query),
         query.setBeanCacheMode(CacheMode.OFF);
       }
     } else {

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/SpiDbQueryPlan.java

@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ public interface SpiDbQueryPlan extends MetaQueryPlan {
   /**
    * Extend with queryTimeMicros, captureCount, captureMicros and when the bind values were captured.
    */
-  SpiDbQueryPlan with(long queryTimeMicros, long captureCount, long captureMicros, Instant whenCaptured);
+  SpiDbQueryPlan with(long queryTimeMicros, long captureCount, long captureMicros, Instant whenCaptured, Object tenantId);
 
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/SpiEbeanServer.java

@@ -294,6 +294,16 @@ public interface SpiEbeanServer extends SpiServer, BeanCollectionLoader {
    */
   <D> DtoQuery<D> findDto(Class<D> dtoType, SpiQuery<?> ormQuery);
 
+  /**
+   * Return the generated {@link DtoMapper} for mapping the given source entity type to the given
+   * DTO type, discovered (via {@code ServiceLoader}) from the {@code DtoMapperRegister}s
+   * generated by {@code querybean-generator} - used by {@code query.mapTo(dtoType)}.
+   *
+   * @throws jakarta.persistence.PersistenceException if no mapper is registered for that
+   *     (source, dto) pair.
+   */
+  <S, D> DtoMapper<S, D> dtoMapper(Class<S> sourceType, Class<D> dtoType);
+
   /**
    * Execute the underlying ORM query returning as a JDBC ResultSet to map to DTO beans.
    */
@@ -374,6 +384,8 @@ public interface SpiEbeanServer extends SpiServer, BeanCollectionLoader {
 
   <T> int delete(SpiQuery<T> query);
 
+  <T> int deletePermanent(SpiQuery<T> query);
+
   <T> int update(SpiQuery<T> query);
 
   List<SqlRow> findList(SpiSqlQuery query);

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/SpiExpressionValidation.java

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ public final class SpiExpressionValidation {
 
   private final BeanType<?> desc;
   private final LinkedHashSet<String> unknown = new LinkedHashSet<>();
+  private final LinkedHashSet<String> all = new LinkedHashSet<>();
 
   public SpiExpressionValidation(BeanType<?> desc) {
     this.desc = desc;
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ public final class SpiExpressionValidation {
    * Validate that the property expression (path) is valid.
    */
   public void validate(String propertyName) {
+    all.add(propertyName);
     if (!desc.isValidExpression(propertyName)) {
       unknown.add(propertyName);
     }
@@ -33,4 +35,14 @@ public final class SpiExpressionValidation {
     return unknown;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return the set of all property names visited during this validation, regardless of
+   * whether they were considered valid against the bean type. Used to inspect the shape of
+   * an expression (for example, to check whether it references any associated/joined path)
+   * without needing a correctly-typed bean descriptor.
+   */
+  public Set<String> allProperties() {
+    return all;
+  }
+
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/SpiQueryManyJoin.java

@@ -15,4 +15,19 @@ public interface SpiQueryManyJoin {
    */
   String fetchOrderBy();
 
+  /**
+   * Return true if this many relationship has an order column stored on the
+   * ManyToMany intersection table (rather than a target descriptor property).
+   */
+  default boolean hasIntersectionOrderColumn() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the db column name of the ManyToMany intersection table order column (or null).
+   */
+  default String intersectionOrderColumn() {
+    return null;
+  }
+
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/SpiTransaction.java

@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ public interface SpiTransaction extends Transaction {
    */
   Boolean isUpdateAllLoadedProperties();
 
+  /**
+   * Return true if generated properties ({@code @WhenCreated} etc.) are enabled for this transaction.
+   */
+  boolean isGeneratedPropertiesEnabled();
+
   /**
    * Return the batchSize specifically set for this transaction or 0.
    * <p>

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/SpiTransactionManager.java

@@ -60,6 +60,6 @@ public interface SpiTransactionManager {
   /**
    * Return a connection used for query plan collection.
    */
-  Connection queryPlanConnection() throws SQLException;
+  Connection queryPlanConnection(Object tenantId) throws SQLException;
 
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/SpiTransactionProxy.java

@@ -244,6 +244,16 @@ public abstract class SpiTransactionProxy implements SpiTransaction {
     transaction.setUpdateAllLoadedProperties(updateAllLoaded);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public void setGeneratedPropertiesEnabled(boolean enable) {
+    transaction.setGeneratedPropertiesEnabled(enable);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isGeneratedPropertiesEnabled() {
+    return transaction.isGeneratedPropertiesEnabled();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public Boolean isUpdateAllLoadedProperties() {
     return transaction.isUpdateAllLoadedProperties();

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/api/TransactionEvent.java

@@ -150,4 +150,45 @@ public final class TransactionEvent implements Serializable {
     return changeSet;
   }
 
+  public void merge(TransactionEvent other) {
+    if (other == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Merge table events
+    if (other.eventTables != null) {
+      if (this.eventTables == null) {
+        this.eventTables = other.eventTables;
+      } else {
+        this.eventTables.add(other.eventTables);
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Merge listeners
+    if (other.listenerNotify != null) {
+      if (this.listenerNotify == null) {
+        this.listenerNotify = other.listenerNotify;
+      } else {
+        this.listenerNotify.addAll(other.listenerNotify);
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Merge delete-by-id
+    if (other.deleteByIdMap != null) {
+      if (this.deleteByIdMap == null) {
+        this.deleteByIdMap = other.deleteByIdMap;
+      } else {
+        this.deleteByIdMap.merge(other.deleteByIdMap);
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Merge cache changes
+    if (other.changeSet != null) {
+      if (this.changeSet == null) {
+        this.changeSet = other.changeSet;
+      } else {
+        this.changeSet.merge(other.changeSet);
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/cache/CacheChangeBeanRemove.java

@@ -42,4 +42,8 @@ final class CacheChangeBeanRemove implements CacheChange {
   public void addId(Object id) {
     ids.add(id);
   }
+
+  void merge(CacheChangeBeanRemove other) {
+    this.ids.addAll(other.ids);
+  }
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/cache/CacheChangeSet.java

@@ -184,6 +184,32 @@ public final class CacheChangeSet {
     return manyChangeMap.computeIfAbsent(key, ManyChange::new);
   }
 
+  public void merge(CacheChangeSet other) {
+    if (other == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this.entries.addAll(other.entries);
+    this.touchedTables.addAll(other.touchedTables);
+    this.queryCaches.addAll(other.queryCaches);
+    this.beanCaches.addAll(other.beanCaches);
+
+    other.beanRemoveMap.forEach((desc, remove) ->
+      this.beanRemoveMap.merge(desc, remove, (a, b) -> {
+        a.merge(b);
+        return a;
+      })
+    );
+
+    other.manyChangeMap.forEach((key, change) ->
+      this.manyChangeMap.merge(key, change, (a, b) -> {
+        a.merge(b);
+        return a;
+      })
+    );
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * Changes for a specific many property.
    */
@@ -215,6 +241,32 @@ public final class CacheChangeSet {
       }
     }
 
+    void merge(ManyChange other) {
+      // clear dominates everything
+      if (other.clear) {
+        this.clear = true;
+        this.removes.clear();
+        this.puts.clear();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (this.clear) {
+        // already clearing, ignore finer changes
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // merge puts (put overrides remove)
+      this.puts.putAll(other.puts);
+
+      // merge removes, but do not remove something we just put
+      for (String key : other.removes) {
+        if (!this.puts.containsKey(key)) {
+          this.removes.add(key);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+
     /**
      * Put entry for the given parentId.
      */

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/cache/CacheManagerOptions.java

@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ import io.ebeaninternal.server.cluster.ClusterManager;
 public final class CacheManagerOptions {
 
   private final ClusterManager clusterManager;
-  private final DatabaseBuilder.Settings databaseBuilder;
+  private final String serverName;
   private final boolean localL2Caching;
+  private final boolean tenantPartitionedCache;
   private CurrentTenantProvider currentTenantProvider;
   private QueryCacheEntryValidate queryCacheEntryValidate;
   private ServerCacheFactory cacheFactory = new DefaultServerCacheFactory();
@@ -24,7 +25,8 @@ public final class CacheManagerOptions {
   CacheManagerOptions() {
     this.localL2Caching = true;
     this.clusterManager = null;
-    this.databaseBuilder = null;
+    this.serverName = "db";
+    this.tenantPartitionedCache = false;
     this.cacheFactory = new DefaultServerCacheFactory();
     this.beanDefault = new ServerCacheOptions();
     this.queryDefault = new ServerCacheOptions();
@@ -32,9 +34,10 @@ public final class CacheManagerOptions {
 
   public CacheManagerOptions(ClusterManager clusterManager, DatabaseBuilder.Settings config, boolean localL2Caching) {
     this.clusterManager = clusterManager;
-    this.databaseBuilder = config;
+    this.serverName = config.getName();
     this.localL2Caching = localL2Caching;
     this.currentTenantProvider = config.getCurrentTenantProvider();
+    this.tenantPartitionedCache = config.isTenantPartitionedCache();
   }
 
   public CacheManagerOptions with(ServerCacheOptions beanDefault, ServerCacheOptions queryDefault) {
@@ -55,7 +58,7 @@ public final class CacheManagerOptions {
   }
 
   public String getServerName() {
-    return (databaseBuilder == null) ? "db" : databaseBuilder.getName();
+    return serverName;
   }
 
   public boolean isLocalL2Caching() {
@@ -85,4 +88,8 @@ public final class CacheManagerOptions {
   public QueryCacheEntryValidate getQueryCacheEntryValidate() {
     return queryCacheEntryValidate;
   }
+
+  public boolean isTenantPartitionedCache() {
+    return tenantPartitionedCache;
+  }
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/cache/DefaultCacheHolder.java

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import io.ebean.config.CurrentTenantProvider;
 import io.ebean.meta.MetricVisitor;
 import io.ebean.util.AnnotationUtil;
 
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentSkipListSet;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ final class DefaultCacheHolder {
   private final ServerCacheOptions queryDefault;
   private final CurrentTenantProvider tenantProvider;
   private final QueryCacheEntryValidate queryCacheEntryValidate;
+  private final boolean tenantPartitionedCache;
 
   DefaultCacheHolder(CacheManagerOptions builder) {
     this.cacheFactory = builder.getCacheFactory();
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ final class DefaultCacheHolder {
     this.queryDefault = builder.getQueryDefault();
     this.tenantProvider = builder.getCurrentTenantProvider();
     this.queryCacheEntryValidate = builder.getQueryCacheEntryValidate();
+    this.tenantPartitionedCache = builder.isTenantPartitionedCache();
   }
 
   void visitMetrics(MetricVisitor visitor) {
@@ -56,16 +59,31 @@ final class DefaultCacheHolder {
     return getCacheInternal(beanType, ServerCacheType.COLLECTION_IDS, collectionProperty);
   }
 
+  private String tenantKey(String beanName) {
+    if (tenantPartitionedCache) {
+      return beanName + '.' + tenantProvider.currentId();
+    }
+    return beanName;
+  }
+
   private String key(String beanName, ServerCacheType type) {
+    if (tenantPartitionedCache) {
+      return beanName + '.' + tenantProvider.currentId() + type.code();
+    }
     return beanName + type.code();
   }
 
   private String key(String beanName, String collectionProperty, ServerCacheType type) {
-    if (collectionProperty != null) {
-      return beanName + "." + collectionProperty + type.code();
-    } else {
-      return beanName + type.code();
+    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(beanName.length() + 64);
+    sb.append(beanName);
+    if (tenantPartitionedCache) {
+      sb.append('.').append(tenantProvider.currentId());
     }
+    if (collectionProperty != null) {
+      sb.append('.').append(collectionProperty);
+    }
+    sb.append(type.code());
+    return sb.toString();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -82,12 +100,15 @@ final class DefaultCacheHolder {
     if (type == ServerCacheType.COLLECTION_IDS) {
       lock.lock();
       try {
-        collectIdCaches.computeIfAbsent(beanType.getName(), s -> new ConcurrentSkipListSet<>()).add(key);
+        collectIdCaches.computeIfAbsent(tenantKey(beanType.getName()), s -> new ConcurrentSkipListSet<>()).add(key);
       } finally {
         lock.unlock();
       }
     }
-    return cacheFactory.createCache(new ServerCacheConfig(type, key, shortName, options, tenantProvider, queryCacheEntryValidate));
+    // in partitioned mode each ServerCache instance is already tenant-scoped via its key,
+    // so the tenantProvider is not needed inside the cache itself
+    CurrentTenantProvider cacheProvider = tenantPartitionedCache ? null : tenantProvider;
+    return cacheFactory.createCache(new ServerCacheConfig(type, key, shortName, options, cacheProvider, queryCacheEntryValidate));
   }
 
   void clearAll() {
@@ -100,17 +121,75 @@ final class DefaultCacheHolder {
 
   public void clear(String name) {
     log.log(DEBUG, "clear {0}", name);
-    clearIfExists(key(name, ServerCacheType.QUERY));
-    clearIfExists(key(name, ServerCacheType.BEAN));
-    clearIfExists(key(name, ServerCacheType.NATURAL_KEY));
-    Set<String> keys = collectIdCaches.get(name);
-    if (keys != null) {
-      for (String collectionIdKey : keys) {
-        clearIfExists(collectionIdKey);
+    if (tenantPartitionedCache) {
+      // In partitioned mode, tenantProvider.currentId() may be null/wrong on a background
+      // invalidation thread. Scan all cache entries for this entity type across all tenants.
+      clearAllTenantsFor(name);
+    } else {
+      clearIfExists(key(name, ServerCacheType.QUERY));
+      clearIfExists(key(name, ServerCacheType.BEAN));
+      clearIfExists(key(name, ServerCacheType.NATURAL_KEY));
+      Set<String> keys = collectIdCaches.get(name);
+      if (keys != null) {
+        for (String collectionIdKey : keys) {
+          clearIfExists(collectionIdKey);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
 
+  private void clearAllTenantsFor(String name) {
+    // Keys in partitioned mode: beanName.tenantId_X or beanName.tenantId.prop_X
+    // collectIdCaches keys: beanName.tenantId
+    // Both start with beanName + '.' so we can use prefix scan.
+    String prefix = name + '.';
+    for (Map.Entry<String, ServerCache> entry : allCaches.entrySet()) {
+      if (entry.getKey().startsWith(prefix)) {
+        log.log(TRACE, "clear cache {0}", entry.getKey());
+        entry.getValue().clear();
+      }
+    }
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      for (Map.Entry<String, Set<String>> entry : collectIdCaches.entrySet()) {
+        if (entry.getKey().startsWith(prefix)) {
+          for (String collectionIdKey : entry.getValue()) {
+            clearIfExists(collectionIdKey);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Remove all cache entries belonging to the given tenant.
+   * Call this when a tenant is deactivated to prevent unbounded memory growth.
+   */
+  void clearTenant(Object tenantId) {
+    String tenantIdStr = String.valueOf(tenantId);
+    // Keys look like: beanName.tenantId_X  or  beanName.tenantId.prop_X
+    String segmentBeforeTypeCode = '.' + tenantIdStr + '_';
+    String segmentBeforeProperty = '.' + tenantIdStr + '.';
+    allCaches.entrySet().removeIf(e -> {
+      String k = e.getKey();
+      return k.contains(segmentBeforeTypeCode) || k.contains(segmentBeforeProperty);
+    });
+    // collectIdCaches keys look like: beanName.tenantId
+    String collectKeySuffix = '.' + tenantIdStr;
+    lock.lock();
+    try {
+      collectIdCaches.entrySet().removeIf(e -> e.getKey().endsWith(collectKeySuffix));
+    } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
+    }
+  }
+
+  boolean isTenantPartitionedCache() {
+    return tenantPartitionedCache;
+  }
+
   private void clearIfExists(String fullKey) {
     ServerCache cache = allCaches.get(fullKey);
     if (cache != null) {

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/cache/DefaultServerCacheManager.java

@@ -154,4 +154,14 @@ public final class DefaultServerCacheManager implements SpiCacheManager {
     return cacheHolder.getCache(beanType, ServerCacheType.BEAN);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public boolean isTenantPartitionedCache() {
+    return cacheHolder.isTenantPartitionedCache();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void clearTenant(Object tenantId) {
+    cacheHolder.clearTenant(tenantId);
+  }
+
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/cache/SpiCacheManager.java

@@ -88,4 +88,17 @@ public interface SpiCacheManager {
    */
   void clearLocal(Class<?> beanType);
 
+  /**
+   * Returns true if this cache manager runs in tenant-partitioned mode.
+   * In this mode caches are namespaced per tenant to improve cache-hit ratio.
+   */
+  boolean isTenantPartitionedCache();
+
+  /**
+   * Remove all cache entries belonging to the given tenant.
+   * Call this when a tenant is deactivated to prevent unbounded memory growth
+   * in tenant-partitioned mode.
+   */
+  void clearTenant(Object tenantId);
+
 }

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java

@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
   private final DtoQueryEngine dtoQueryEngine;
   private final ServerCacheManager serverCacheManager;
   private final DtoBeanManager dtoBeanManager;
+  private final DtoMapperManager dtoMapperManager;
   private final BeanDescriptorManager descriptorManager;
   private final AutoTuneService autoTuneService;
   private final ReadAuditPrepare readAuditPrepare;
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
   public DefaultServer(InternalConfiguration config, ServerCacheManager cache) {
     this.logManager = config.getLogManager();
     this.dtoBeanManager = config.getDtoBeanManager();
+    this.dtoMapperManager = config.getDtoMapperManager();
     this.config = config.getConfig();
     this.disableL2Cache = this.config.isDisableL2Cache();
     this.serverCacheManager = cache;
@@ -899,6 +901,11 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
     return new DefaultDtoQuery<>(this, descriptor, ormQuery);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public <S, D> DtoMapper<S, D> dtoMapper(Class<S> sourceType, Class<D> dtoType) {
+    return dtoMapperManager.mapperFor(sourceType, dtoType);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public SpiResultSet findResultSet(SpiQuery<?> ormQuery) {
     SpiOrmQueryRequest<?> request = createQueryRequest(ormQuery.type(), ormQuery);
@@ -1197,15 +1204,14 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
   @Override
   public <T> boolean exists(SpiQuery<T> ormQuery) {
     SpiQuery<T> ormQueryCopy = ormQuery.copy();
-    ormQueryCopy.setMaxRows(1);
     SpiOrmQueryRequest<?> request = createQueryRequest(Type.EXISTS, ormQueryCopy);
-    List<Object> ids = request.getFromQueryCache();
-    if (ids != null) {
-      return !ids.isEmpty();
+    Object cached = request.getFromQueryCache();
+    if (cached != null) {
+      return (Boolean) cached;
     }
     try {
       request.initTransIfRequired();
-      return !request.findIds().isEmpty();
+      return request.findExists();
     } finally {
       request.endTransIfRequired();
     }
@@ -1234,6 +1240,15 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
 
   @Override
   public <T> int delete(SpiQuery<T> query) {
+    return delete(query, false);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public <T> int deletePermanent(SpiQuery<T> query) {
+    return delete(query, true);
+  }
+
+  private <T> int delete(SpiQuery<T> query, boolean permanent) {
     SpiOrmQueryRequest<T> request = createQueryRequest(Type.DELETE, query);
     try {
       request.initTransIfRequired();
@@ -1247,7 +1262,7 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
         if (ids.isEmpty()) {
           return 0;
         } else {
-          return persister.deleteByIds(request.descriptor(), ids, request.transaction(), false);
+          return persister.deleteByIds(request.descriptor(), ids, request.transaction(), permanent);
         }
       }
     } finally {
@@ -2188,12 +2203,7 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean) {
-    return checkUniqueness(bean, null);
-  }
-
-  @Override
-  public Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean, @Nullable Transaction transaction) {
+  public Set<Property> checkUniqueness(Object bean, @Nullable Transaction transaction, boolean useQueryCache, boolean skipClean) {
     EntityBean entityBean = checkEntityBean(bean);
     BeanDescriptor<?> beanDesc = descriptor(entityBean.getClass());
     BeanProperty idProperty = beanDesc.idProperty();
@@ -2205,14 +2215,15 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
     if (entityBean._ebean_getIntercept().isNew() && id != null) {
       // Primary Key is changeable only on new models - so skip check if we are not new
       SpiQuery<?> query = new DefaultOrmQuery<>(beanDesc, this, expressionFactory);
+      query.setUseQueryCache(useQueryCache);
       query.usingTransaction(transaction);
       query.setId(id);
-      if (findCount(query) > 0) {
+      if (exists(query)) {
         return Collections.singleton(idProperty);
       }
     }
     for (BeanProperty[] props : beanDesc.uniqueProps()) {
-      Set<Property> ret = checkUniqueness(entityBean, beanDesc, props, transaction);
+      Set<Property> ret = checkUniqueness(entityBean, beanDesc, props, transaction, useQueryCache, skipClean);
       if (ret != null) {
         return ret;
       }
@@ -2220,13 +2231,34 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
     return Collections.emptySet();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Checks, if any property is dirty.
+   */
+  private boolean isAnyPropertyDirty(EntityBean entityBean, BeanProperty[] props) {
+    if (entityBean._ebean_getIntercept().isNew()) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    for (BeanProperty prop : props) {
+      if (entityBean._ebean_getIntercept().isDirtyProperty(prop.propertyIndex())) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Returns a set of properties if saving the bean will violate the unique constraints (defined by given properties).
    */
   @Nullable
-  private Set<Property> checkUniqueness(EntityBean entityBean, BeanDescriptor<?> beanDesc, BeanProperty[] props, @Nullable Transaction transaction) {
+  private Set<Property> checkUniqueness(EntityBean entityBean, BeanDescriptor<?> beanDesc, BeanProperty[] props, @Nullable Transaction transaction,
+                                        boolean useQueryCache, boolean skipClean) {
+    if (skipClean && !isAnyPropertyDirty(entityBean, props)) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
     BeanProperty idProperty = beanDesc.idProperty();
     SpiQuery<?> query = new DefaultOrmQuery<>(beanDesc, this, expressionFactory);
+    query.setUseQueryCache(useQueryCache);
     query.usingTransaction(transaction);
     ExpressionList<?> exprList = query.where();
     if (!entityBean._ebean_getIntercept().isNew()) {
@@ -2240,7 +2272,7 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
       }
       exprList.eq(prop.name(), value);
     }
-    if (findCount(query) > 0) {
+    if (exists(query)) {
       Set<Property> ret = new LinkedHashSet<>();
       Collections.addAll(ret, props);
       return ret;

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/InternalConfiguration.java

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package io.ebeaninternal.server.core;
 
 import io.avaje.json.stream.JsonStream;
 import io.ebean.DatabaseBuilder;
+import io.ebean.DtoMapperManager;
 import io.ebean.ExpressionFactory;
 import io.ebean.annotation.Platform;
 import io.ebean.cache.*;
@@ -76,11 +77,13 @@ public final class InternalConfiguration {
   private final DeployInherit deployInherit;
   private final TypeManager typeManager;
   private final DtoBeanManager dtoBeanManager;
+  private final DtoMapperManager dtoMapperManager;
   private final Clock clock;
   private final DataTimeZone dataTimeZone;
   private final Binder binder;
   private final DeployCreateProperties deployCreateProperties;
   private final DeployUtil deployUtil;
+  private final DataSourceSupplier dataSourceSupplier;
   private final BeanDescriptorManager beanDescriptorManager;
   private final CQueryEngine cQueryEngine;
   private final ClusterManager clusterManager;
@@ -124,6 +127,8 @@ public final class InternalConfiguration {
 
     final InternalConfigXmlMap xmlMap = initExternalMapping();
     this.dtoBeanManager = new DtoBeanManager(typeManager, xmlMap.readDtoMapping());
+    this.dtoMapperManager = initDtoMapperManager();
+    this.dataSourceSupplier = createDataSourceSupplier();
     this.beanDescriptorManager = new BeanDescriptorManager(this);
     Map<String, String> asOfTableMapping = beanDescriptorManager.deploy(xmlMap.xmlDeployment());
     Map<String, String> draftTableMap = beanDescriptorManager.draftTableMap();
@@ -151,6 +156,17 @@ public final class InternalConfiguration {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Use an application-provided {@link DtoMapperManager} (registered via {@code
+   * config.putServiceObject(DtoMapperManager.class, ...)} before building the Database) if
+   * present, so the exact same instance (and hence the same underlying mapper instances) can be
+   * shared between {@code query.mapTo(...)} and application code, otherwise construct a default.
+   */
+  private DtoMapperManager initDtoMapperManager() {
+    DtoMapperManager manager = config.getServiceObject(DtoMapperManager.class);
+    return manager != null ? manager : new DtoMapperManager();
+  }
+
   private List<XmapEbean> readExternalMapping() {
     final XmapService xmapService = service(XmapService.class);
     if (xmapService == null) {
@@ -391,7 +407,7 @@ public final class InternalConfiguration {
 
     TransactionManagerOptions options =
       new TransactionManagerOptions(server, notifyL2CacheInForeground, config, scopeManager, clusterManager, backgroundExecutor,
-        indexUpdateProcessor, beanDescriptorManager, dataSource(), profileHandler(), logManager,
+        indexUpdateProcessor, beanDescriptorManager, dataSourceSupplier, profileHandler(), logManager,
         tableModState, cacheNotify);
 
     if (config.isDocStoreOnly()) {
@@ -409,9 +425,16 @@ public final class InternalConfiguration {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Return the DataSource supplier based on the tenancy mode.
+   * Return the DataSource supplier (multi-tenant aware) based on the tenancy mode.
    */
-  private DataSourceSupplier dataSource() {
+  public DataSourceSupplier getDataSourceSupplier() {
+    return dataSourceSupplier;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create the DataSource supplier based on the tenancy mode.
+   */
+  private DataSourceSupplier createDataSourceSupplier() {
     switch (config.getTenantMode()) {
       case DB:
       case DB_WITH_MASTER:
@@ -511,6 +534,10 @@ public final class InternalConfiguration {
     return dtoBeanManager;
   }
 
+  DtoMapperManager getDtoMapperManager() {
+    return dtoMapperManager;
+  }
+
   SpiLogManager getLogManager() {
     return logManager;
   }
@@ -580,7 +607,8 @@ public final class InternalConfiguration {
       return QueryPlanManager.NOOP;
     }
     long threshold = config.getQueryPlanThresholdMicros();
-    return new CQueryPlanManager(transactionManager, threshold, queryPlanLogger(databasePlatform.platform(), config), extraMetrics);
+    return new CQueryPlanManager(transactionManager, config.getCurrentTenantProvider(),
+      threshold, queryPlanLogger(databasePlatform.platform(), config), extraMetrics);
   }
 
   /**

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryEngine.java

@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ public interface OrmQueryEngine {
    */
   <T> int findCount(OrmQueryRequest<T> request);
 
+  /**
+   * Execute the exists query using SELECT EXISTS(...).
+   */
+  <T> boolean findExists(OrmQueryRequest<T> request);
+
   /**
    * Execute the find id's query.
    */

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryRequest.java

@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ public final class OrmQueryRequest<T> extends BeanRequest implements SpiOrmQuery
   private SpiQuerySecondary secondaryQueries;
   private List<T> cacheBeans;
   private boolean inlineCountDistinct;
-  private Set<String> dependentTables;
   private SpiQueryManyJoin manyJoin;
 
   public OrmQueryRequest(SpiEbeanServer server, OrmQueryEngine queryEngine, SpiQuery<T> query, SpiTransaction t) {
@@ -128,6 +127,13 @@ public final class OrmQueryRequest<T> extends BeanRequest implements SpiOrmQuery
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return the secondary queries (fetchQuery and lazy joins) extracted from the query detail.
+   */
+  public SpiQuerySecondary secondaryQueries() {
+    return secondaryQueries;
+  }
+
   /**
    * For use with QueryIterator and secondary queries this returns the minimum
    * batch size that should be loaded before executing the secondary queries.
@@ -356,6 +362,11 @@ public final class OrmQueryRequest<T> extends BeanRequest implements SpiOrmQuery
     return queryEngine.findCount(this);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public boolean findExists() {
+    return queryEngine.findExists(this);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public <A> List<A> findIds() {
     return queryEngine.findIds(this);
@@ -667,7 +678,11 @@ public final class OrmQueryRequest<T> extends BeanRequest implements SpiOrmQuery
   }
 
   public void putToQueryCache(Object result) {
-    beanDescriptor.queryCachePut(cacheKey, new QueryCacheEntry(result, dependentTables, transaction.startTime()));
+    CQueryPlan plan = queryPlan();
+    if (plan != null) {
+      // only cache when we have the plan's dependent tables
+      beanDescriptor.queryCachePut(cacheKey, new QueryCacheEntry(result, plan.dependentTables(), transaction.startTime()));
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -737,15 +752,6 @@ public final class OrmQueryRequest<T> extends BeanRequest implements SpiOrmQuery
     return inlineCountDistinct;
   }
 
-  public void addDependentTables(Set<String> tables) {
-    if (tables != null && !tables.isEmpty()) {
-      if (dependentTables == null) {
-        dependentTables = new LinkedHashSet<>();
-      }
-      dependentTables.addAll(tables);
-    }
-  }
-
   /**
    * Return true if no MaxRows or use LIMIT in SQL update.
    */

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/PersistRequestBean.java

@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
   private Object idValue;
   private boolean statelessUpdate;
   private boolean notifyCache;
+  /**
+   * Snapshot of origValues taken before intercept.setLoaded() clears them.
+   * Used so that cache update code can access old FK values after setLoaded().
+   */
+  private Object[] capturedOrigValues;
   /**
    * Flag used to detect when only many properties where updated via a cascade. Used to ensure
    * appropriate caches are updated in that case.
@@ -122,6 +127,18 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
    */
   private List<SaveMany> saveMany;
   private InsertOptions insertOptions;
+  /**
+   * Set true when an ON CONFLICT NOTHING insert is skipped (0 rows affected).
+   * Cascade to children must be suppressed to avoid FK violations.
+   */
+  private boolean insertConflictSkipped;
+  /**
+   * Set true once controller.preDelete() has been invoked so that it is
+   * only ever fired once (as it is fired early, prior to cascading the
+   * delete to children/many's rather than as part of executing the delete).
+   */
+  private boolean preDeleteCalled;
+  private boolean preDeleteResult = true;
 
   public PersistRequestBean(SpiEbeanServer server, T bean, Object parentBean, BeanManager<T> mgr, SpiTransaction t,
                             PersistExecute persistExecute, PersistRequest.Type type, int flags) {
@@ -262,13 +279,13 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
       GeneratedProperty generatedProperty = prop.generatedProperty();
       if (prop.isVersion()) {
         if (isLoadedProperty(prop)) {
-          // @Version property must be loaded to be involved
+          // @Version property must be loaded to be involved — always auto-incremented
           Object value = generatedProperty.getUpdateValue(prop, entityBean, now());
           Object oldVal = prop.getValue(entityBean);
           setVersionValue(value);
           intercept.setOldValue(prop.propertyIndex(), oldVal);
         }
-      } else {
+      } else if (transaction == null || transaction.isGeneratedPropertiesEnabled()) {
         // @WhenModified set without invoking interception
         Object oldVal = prop.getValue(entityBean);
         Object value = generatedProperty.getUpdateValue(prop, entityBean, now());
@@ -280,17 +297,22 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
 
   private void onFailedUpdateUndoGeneratedProperties() {
     for (BeanProperty prop : beanDescriptor.propertiesGenUpdate()) {
-      Object oldVal = intercept.origValue(prop.propertyIndex());
-      if (oldVal != null) {
-        prop.setValue(entityBean, oldVal);
+      if (prop.isVersion() || transaction == null || transaction.isGeneratedPropertiesEnabled()) {
+        // undo version always (it was always set); undo others only if they were set
+        Object oldVal = intercept.origValue(prop.propertyIndex());
+        if (oldVal != null) {
+          prop.setValue(entityBean, oldVal);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
 
   private void onInsertGeneratedProperties() {
     for (BeanProperty prop : beanDescriptor.propertiesGenInsert()) {
-      Object value = prop.generatedProperty().getInsertValue(prop, entityBean, now());
-      prop.setValueChanged(entityBean, value);
+      if (prop.isVersion() || transaction == null || transaction.isGeneratedPropertiesEnabled() || prop.getValue(entityBean) == null) {
+        Object value = prop.generatedProperty().getInsertValue(prop, entityBean, now());
+        prop.setValueChanged(entityBean, value);
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -705,7 +727,11 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
    * Return the original / old value for the given property.
    */
   public Object origValue(BeanProperty prop) {
-    return intercept.origValue(prop.propertyIndex());
+    int idx = prop.propertyIndex();
+    if (capturedOrigValues != null && idx < capturedOrigValues.length) {
+      return capturedOrigValues[idx];
+    }
+    return intercept.origValue(idx);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -796,6 +822,9 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
         throw new OptimisticLockException("Data has changed. updated row count " + rowCount, null, bean);
       } else if (rowCount == 0 && type == Type.UPDATE) {
         throw new EntityNotFoundException("No rows updated");
+      } else if (rowCount == 0 && type == Type.INSERT && isConflictNothingInsert()) {
+        insertConflictSkipped = true;
+        return;
       }
     }
     switch (type) {
@@ -810,6 +839,14 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
     }
   }
 
+  private boolean isConflictNothingInsert() {
+    return insertOptions != null && insertOptions.key().charAt(0) == 'N';
+  }
+
+  public boolean isInsertConflictSkipped() {
+    return insertConflictSkipped;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Clear the bean from the PersistenceContext (L1 cache) for stateless updates.
    */
@@ -862,6 +899,15 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
     if (type == Type.UPDATE) {
       // get the dirty properties for notify cache & orphanRemoval of vanilla collection detection
       dirtyProperties = intercept.dirtyProperties();
+      // snapshot orig values before setLoaded() clears them - needed by cache FK-eviction logic
+      if (dirtyProperties != null && notifyCache) {
+        capturedOrigValues = new Object[dirtyProperties.length];
+        for (int i = 0; i < dirtyProperties.length; i++) {
+          if (dirtyProperties[i]) {
+            capturedOrigValues[i] = intercept.origValue(i);
+          }
+        }
+      }
     }
     if (isChangeLog) {
       changeLog();
@@ -898,6 +944,20 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Ensure the preUpdate event fires (for case where only a ManyToMany collection has changed).
+   */
+  public void preManyToManyUpdate() {
+    if (controller != null && !dirty) {
+      // fire preUpdate notification when only ManyToMany intersection updated
+      controller.preUpdate(this);
+      pendingPostUpdateNotify = true;
+    }
+    if (!dirty) {
+      setNotifyCache();
+    }
+  }
+
   public boolean isNotifyCache() {
     return notifyCache;
   }
@@ -1223,14 +1283,29 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
   }
 
   private int executeDelete() {
-    setTenantId();
-    if (controller == null || controller.preDelete(this)) {
+    if (controllerPreDelete()) {
       return beanManager.getBeanPersister().delete(this);
     }
     // delete handled by the BeanController so return 0
     return 0;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Invoke controller.preDelete() if not already invoked.
+   * <p>
+   * This is called prior to cascading the delete to children (assoc many's /
+   * many-to-many intersection rows) so that the persist controller can still
+   * see those collections/relationships as they were before the cascade delete.
+   */
+  public boolean controllerPreDelete() {
+    if (!preDeleteCalled) {
+      preDeleteCalled = true;
+      setTenantId();
+      preDeleteResult = controller == null || controller.preDelete(this);
+    }
+    return preDeleteResult;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Persist to the document store now (via buffer, not post commit).
    */
@@ -1410,7 +1485,12 @@ public final class PersistRequestBean<T> extends PersistRequest implements BeanP
   }
 
   public void setInsertOptions(InsertOptions insertOptions) {
-    this.insertOptions  = insertOptions;
+    this.insertOptions = insertOptions;
+    if (insertOptions != null && insertOptions.key().charAt(0) == 'N' && beanDescriptor.hasCascadeChildren()) {
+      // force immediate (non-batch) execution of this insert so we know whether it
+      // was actually inserted before attempting cascade saves on children.
+      skipBatchForTopLevel = true;
+    }
   }
 
   public InsertOptions insertOptions() {

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/SpiOrmQueryRequest.java

@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ public interface SpiOrmQueryRequest<T> extends BeanQueryRequest<T>, DocQueryRequ
    */
   int findCount();
 
+  /**
+   * Execute the find exists query using select exists(...).
+   */
+  boolean findExists();
+
   /**
    * Execute the find ids query.
    */

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/deploy/AssocOneHelpEmbedded.java

@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@ import java.sql.SQLException;
  */
 final class AssocOneHelpEmbedded extends AssocOneHelp {
 
-  AssocOneHelpEmbedded(BeanPropertyAssocOne<?> property) {
+  private final boolean allowEmpty;
+
+  AssocOneHelpEmbedded(BeanPropertyAssocOne<?> property, boolean allowEmpty) {
     super(property);
+    this.allowEmpty = allowEmpty;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ final class AssocOneHelpEmbedded extends AssocOneHelp {
         notNull = true;
       }
     }
-    if (notNull) {
+    if (notNull || allowEmpty) {
       return embeddedBean;
     } else {
       return null;
@@ -69,7 +72,7 @@ final class AssocOneHelpEmbedded extends AssocOneHelp {
         notNull = true;
       }
     }
-    return notNull ? embeddedBean : null;
+    return (notNull || allowEmpty) ? embeddedBean : null;
   }
 
   @Override

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/deploy/BeanCollectionHelp.java

@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 package io.ebeaninternal.server.deploy;
 
-import io.ebean.Transaction;
 import io.ebean.bean.BeanCollection;
 import io.ebean.bean.BeanCollectionAdd;
 import io.ebean.bean.BeanCollectionLoader;
 import io.ebean.bean.EntityBean;
-import io.ebeaninternal.api.SpiEbeanServer;
-import io.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuery;
 import io.ebeaninternal.api.json.SpiJsonWriter;
 import io.ebeaninternal.server.query.CQueryCollectionAdd;
 
@@ -34,7 +31,7 @@ public interface BeanCollectionHelp<T> extends CQueryCollectionAdd<T> {
    * For Map's this needs to take the mapKey.
    * </p>
    */
-  BeanCollectionAdd getBeanCollectionAdd(Object bc, String mapKey);
+  BeanCollectionAdd collectionAdd(Object bc, String mapKey);
 
   /**
    * Create an empty collection of the correct type without a parent bean.

ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/deploy/BeanDescriptor.java

@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ import io.ebeaninternal.server.deploy.meta.DeployBeanDescriptor;
 import io.ebeaninternal.server.deploy.meta.DeployBeanPropertyLists;
 import io.ebeaninternal.server.el.*;
 import io.ebeaninternal.server.persist.DeleteMode;
+import io.ebeaninternal.server.persist.MultiValueWrapper;
+import io.ebeaninternal.server.type.ScalarTypeArray;
 import io.ebeaninternal.server.query.*;
 import io.ebeaninternal.server.querydefn.DefaultOrmQuery;
 import io.ebeaninternal.server.querydefn.OrmQueryDetail;
@@ -320,7 +322,7 @@ public class BeanDescriptor<T> implements BeanType<T>, STreeType, SpiBeanType {
     this.idOnlyReference = isIdOnlyReference(propertiesBaseScalar);
     boolean noRelationships = propertiesOne.length + propertiesMany.length == 0;
     this.cacheSharableBeans = noRelationships && deploy.getCacheOptions().isReadOnly();
-    this.cacheHelp = new BeanDescriptorCacheHelp<>(this, owner.cacheManager(), deploy.getCacheOptions(), cacheSharableBeans, propertiesOneImported);
+    this.cacheHelp = BeanDescriptorCacheHelp.create(this, owner.cacheManager(), deploy.getCacheOptions(), cacheSharableBeans, propertiesOneImported);
     this.jsonHelp = initJsonHelp();
     this.draftHelp = new BeanDescriptorDraftHelp<>(this);
     this.docStoreAdapter = owner.createDocStoreBeanAdapter(this, deploy);
@@ -556,6 +558,23 @@ public class BeanDescriptor<T> implements BeanType<T>, STreeType, SpiBeanType {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Parse @Formula2 logical expressions into placeholder-form SQL after all
+   * relationships have been wired up and elPropertyDeploy() is fully functional.
+   * Called from BeanDescriptorManager in a dedicated pass after all descriptors
+   * have been fully initialised, so cross-descriptor paths are safe to navigate.
+   */
+  void initFormula2Properties() {
+    for (BeanProperty prop : propertiesAll()) {
+      String rawExpr = prop.formula2RawExpression();
+      if (rawExpr != null) {
+        DeployPropertyParser parser = parser().setCatchFirst(true);
+        String parsed = parser.parse(rawExpr);
+        prop.initFormula2(parsed, parser.includes());
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   private boolean hasCircularImportedId() {
     for (BeanPropertyAssocOne<?> assocOne : propertiesOneImportedSave) {
       if (assocOne.hasCircularImportedId(this)) {
@@ -736,7 +755,16 @@ public class BeanDescriptor<T> implements BeanType<T>, STreeType, SpiBeanType {
   public void bindElementValue(SqlUpdate insert, Object value) {
     EntityBean bean = (EntityBean) value;
     for (BeanProperty property : propertiesBaseScalar) {
-      insert.setParameter(property.getValue(bean));
+      Object propertyValue = property.getValue(bean);
+      if (property.isArrayType() && propertyValue instanceof Collection) {
+        // Bind with the declared element type rather than relying on MultiValueWrapper's default
+        // constructor which infers the element type from the first value - this fails with a
+        // NoSuchElementException for an empty collection. See #2477.
+        Class<?> elementType = ((ScalarTypeArray) property.scalarType()).elementType();
+        insert.setParameter(new MultiValueWrapper((Collection<?>) propertyValue, elementType));
+      } else {
+        insert.setParameter(propertyValue);
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -2385,6 +2413,12 @@ public class BeanDescriptor<T> implements BeanType<T>, STreeType, SpiBeanType {
       if (assocProp == null) {
         return null;
       }
+      // this method is an entry-point, although it introduces recursive calls via
+      // buildElPropertyValue -> createElPropertyValue -> buildElGetValue (back to here)
+      // it seems we can initialize ElPropertyChainBuilder at this point and skip further checks.
+      if (chain == null) {
+        chain = new ElPropertyChainBuilder(propName);
+      }
       String remainder = propName.substring(basePos + 1);
       return assocProp.buildElPropertyValue(propName, remainder, chain, propertyDeploy);
     }
@@ -2396,9 +2430,7 @@ public class BeanDescriptor<T> implements BeanType<T>, STreeType, SpiBeanType {
     if (property == null) {
       throw new PersistenceException("No property found for [" + propName + "] in expression " + chain.expression());
     }
-    if (property.containsMany()) {
-      chain.setContainsMany();
-    }
+
     return chain.add(property).build();
   }
 
@@ -3320,6 +3352,15 @@ public class BeanDescriptor<T> implements BeanType<T>, STreeType, SpiBeanType {
     return propertiesManySave;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return true if this bean has cascade-save children (OneToMany or exported OneToOne)
+   * that hold a FK back to this bean. Used to decide whether an ON CONFLICT NOTHING
+   * insert must be executed immediately so the row-count is known before cascading.
+   */
+  public boolean hasCascadeChildren() {
+    return propertiesManySave.length > 0 || propertiesOneExportedSave.length > 0;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Assoc Many's with delete cascade.
    */