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 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
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 * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
 * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
 * accompanied this code).
 *
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package java.lang.annotation;


Indicates how long annotations with the annotated type are to be retained. If no Retention annotation is present on an annotation type declaration, the retention policy defaults to RetentionPolicy.CLASS. 
A Retention meta-annotation has effect only if the
meta-annotated type is used directly for annotation.  It has no
effect if the meta-annotated type is used as a member type in
another annotation type.

Author: Joshua Bloch
Since:1.5
@jls9.6.4.2 @Retention
/**
 * Indicates how long annotations with the annotated type are to
 * be retained.  If no Retention annotation is present on
 * an annotation type declaration, the retention policy defaults to
 * {@code RetentionPolicy.CLASS}.
 *
 * <p>A Retention meta-annotation has effect only if the
 * meta-annotated type is used directly for annotation.  It has no
 * effect if the meta-annotated type is used as a member type in
 * another annotation type.
 *
 * @author  Joshua Bloch
 * @since 1.5
 * @jls 9.6.4.2 @Retention
 */
@Documented
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE)
public @interface Retention {
    
Returns the retention policy.

Returns:the retention policy
/**
     * Returns the retention policy.
     * @return the retention policy
     */
    RetentionPolicy value();
}