> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://bxorm.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://bxorm.ortusbooks.com/bxorm-2.x/modeling/type-conversion.md).

# Type Conversion

How BoxLang's dynamic types are bridged to JDBC column types

BoxLang is dynamically typed, but JDBC and Hibernate expect a specific Java type for every column. bx-orm bridges the two using a set of built-in JPA `AttributeConverter` classes, applied automatically based on each property's `ormType`.

## How It Works

When bx-orm generates the Hibernate mapping XML for a property, it normalizes the property's `ormType` value (folding aliases like `big_decimal`/`bigdecimal`, or `date`/`datetime`, down to a canonical name) and, for most properties, wires up a matching converter:

| `ormType` values (aliases folded)                    | Canonical type | Converter used                          |
| ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| `string`, `varchar`, `nvarchar`                      | `string`       | `StringConverter`                       |
| `bigdecimal`, `big_decimal`, `big-decimal`           | `bigdecimal`   | `BigDecimalConverter`                   |
| `biginteger`, `big_integer`, `big-integer`, `bigint` | `biginteger`   | `BigIntegerConverter`                   |
| `integer`, `int`                                     | `integer`      | `IntegerConverter`                      |
| `long`                                               | `long`         | `LongConverter`                         |
| `tinyint`, `tinyinteger`                             | `short`        | `ShortConverter`                        |
| `numeric`, `number`, `decimal`                       | `double`       | `DoubleConverter`                       |
| `float`                                              | `float`        | `FloatConverter`                        |
| `bit`, `bool`                                        | `boolean`      | `BooleanConverter`                      |
| `yes-no`, `yesno`, `yes_no`                          | `yes_no`       | `BooleanConverter`                      |
| `true-false`, `truefalse`, `true_false`              | `true_false`   | `BooleanConverter`                      |
| `eurodate`, `usdate`, `date`, `datetime`             | `timestamp`    | `DateTimeConverter`                     |
| `time`                                               | `time`         | `TimeConverter`                         |
| `blob`, `byte[]`                                     | `binary`       | *(none - stored as raw binary)*         |
| `char`, `nchar`                                      | `character`    | *(none - stored as a single character)* |
| `clob`                                               | `text`         | *(none - stored as text)*               |

Each converter's job is to translate a BoxLang dynamic value into the JDBC type Hibernate expects on the way into the database, and back into a BoxLang-friendly value on the way out - using BoxLang's own type casters (e.g. `DateTimeCaster`, so a `DateTime` object round-trips correctly regardless of what dynamic type was assigned to the property in memory).

{% hint style="info" %}
**Identifier and version properties skip converters.** A property with `fieldtype="id"` or `fieldtype="version"` is written using its plain Hibernate basic type, not one of the converters above. This keeps primary key and optimistic-locking columns on Hibernate's native type handling.
{% endhint %}

## Custom Converters

There is currently no supported mechanism for registering your own `AttributeConverter` for a property - the converters above are applied automatically based on `ormType` and cover the standard Hibernate basic types. If you need a database column type not covered here, use `sqlType` to control the generated DDL, or reach for a [custom Hibernate config](/bxorm-2.x/getting-started/configuration/custom-hibernate-config.md) / `hibernateProperties` for engine-level tuning.

See [Properties](/bxorm-2.x/modeling/properties.md#orm-type) for the full list of `ormType` values you can set on a property.


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