How to Configure JAXB to Generate ArrayList Instead of List?

How can I configure JAXB to generate an ArrayList instead of a List when binding XML data?

public class Example {
    @XmlElement
    protected List<String> values;
}

Java Architecture for XML Binding (JAXB) defaults to generating an interface type (List) when it processes collections. However, there may be scenarios where you want JAXB to produce specific implementations like ArrayList. This guide outlines how to achieve that by customizing the JAXB binding behavior.

@XmlJavaTypeAdapter(ArrayListAdapter.class)
@XmlElement(name = "value")
protected List<String> values;

Causes

• JAXB uses an interface type for collection attributes by default for better flexibility and abstraction.
• The generated code typically relies on the types specified in your data classes without any configuration for concrete implementations.

Solutions

• Use an adapter to specify the desired collection type for JAXB to produce.
• Modify the JAXB binding file to customize the output type for collection members.

Mistake: Forgetting to import necessary JAXB annotations such as @XmlJavaTypeAdapter.

Solution: Ensure you have the correct JAXB imports at the top of your Java file.

Mistake: Using an incompatible collection type with JAXB's marshalling/unmarshalling.

Solution: Make sure your custom adapter is correctly implemented to handle the specified collection type.