Let's explore JPA with Kotlin! Java Persistence API (JPA) is a widely adopted approach for database access in JVM applications. Implementations like Hibernate and EclipseLink are very popular, and Spring Data JPA continues to be the most used Spring Data implementation.

However, JPA was originally designed with Java in mind, which leads to some challenges when used with Kotlin. Kotlin's design principles, such as classes being final by default and built-in null-safety in the type system, don't always align seamlessly with JPA's assumptions.

In this session, we'll examine how to effectively use JPA in Kotlin programs and learn the best practices for defining JPA entities correctly in Kotlin. We'll discuss common pitfalls and how to avoid them, ensuring your Kotlin-JPA integration is smooth and efficient.
You'll come away with practical knowledge and a comprehensive checklist to follow when using JPA with Kotlin. This checklist will cover important aspects such as entity declaration, property mapping, and handling nullable fields.

We'll also touch upon some Kotlin-specific features that can enhance your JPA usage, like data classes and extension functions. By the end of this session, you'll have a solid understanding of how to leverage JPA effectively in your Kotlin projects, balancing the strengths of both technologies.