https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-data-jdbc/wiki#why-spring-data-jdbc https://spring.io/blog/2018/09/24/spring-data-jdbc-references-and-aggregates https://www.slideshare.net/SpringCentral/domaindriven-design-with-relational-databases-using-spring-data-jdbc https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4919687/aggregate-root-references-other-aggregate-roots?noredirect=1&lq=1 It makes life much easier if you just keep a reference of the aggregate’s ID rather than the actual aggregate itself.