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package javax.lang.model.type;

import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
import java.util.List;
import javax.lang.model.element.*;
import javax.lang.model.util.Types;


Represents a type in the Java programming language. Types include primitive types, declared types (class and interface types), array types, type variables, and the null type. Also represented are wildcard type arguments, the signature and return types of executables, and pseudo-types corresponding to packages, modules, and the keyword void. 
 Types should be compared using the utility methods in Types. There is no guarantee that any particular type will always be represented by the same object. 
 To implement operations based on the class of an 
TypeMirror object, either use a visitor or use the result of the getKind method. Using 
instanceof is not necessarily a reliable idiom for determining the effective class of an object in this modeling hierarchy since an implementation may choose to have a single object implement multiple TypeMirror subinterfaces. 
Author:Joseph D. Darcy, Scott Seligman, Peter von der Ahé
See Also:
Since:1.6
/**
 * Represents a type in the Java programming language.
 * Types include primitive types, declared types (class and interface types),
 * array types, type variables, and the null type.
 * Also represented are wildcard type arguments, the signature and
 * return types of executables, and pseudo-types corresponding to
 * packages, modules, and the keyword {@code void}.
 *
 * <p> Types should be compared using the utility methods in {@link
 * Types}.  There is no guarantee that any particular type will always
 * be represented by the same object.
 *
 * <p> To implement operations based on the class of an {@code
 * TypeMirror} object, either use a {@linkplain TypeVisitor visitor}
 * or use the result of the {@link #getKind} method.  Using {@code
 * instanceof} is <em>not</em> necessarily a reliable idiom for
 * determining the effective class of an object in this modeling
 * hierarchy since an implementation may choose to have a single
 * object implement multiple {@code TypeMirror} subinterfaces.
 *
 * @author Joseph D. Darcy
 * @author Scott Seligman
 * @author Peter von der Ah&eacute;
 * @see Element
 * @see Types
 * @since 1.6
 */
public interface TypeMirror extends javax.lang.model.AnnotatedConstruct {

    
Returns the kind of this type. 
Returns:the kind of this type
/**
     * Returns the {@code kind} of this type.
     *
     * @return the kind of this type
     */
    TypeKind getKind();

    
Obeys the general contract of Object.equals. This method does not, however, indicate whether two types represent the same type. Semantic comparisons of type equality should instead use Types.isSameType(TypeMirror, TypeMirror). The results of t1.equals(t2) and Types.isSameType(t1, t2) may differ. 
Params:
  • obj –  the object to be compared with this type
Returns:true if the specified object is equal to this one
/**
     * Obeys the general contract of {@link Object#equals Object.equals}.
     * This method does not, however, indicate whether two types represent
     * the same type.
     * Semantic comparisons of type equality should instead use
     * {@link Types#isSameType(TypeMirror, TypeMirror)}.
     * The results of {@code t1.equals(t2)} and
     * {@code Types.isSameType(t1, t2)} may differ.
     *
     * @param obj  the object to be compared with this type
     * @return {@code true} if the specified object is equal to this one
     */
    boolean equals(Object obj);

    
Obeys the general contract of Object.hashCode. 
See Also:
/**
     * Obeys the general contract of {@link Object#hashCode Object.hashCode}.
     *
     * @see #equals
     */
    int hashCode();

    
Returns an informative string representation of this type.  If
possible, the string should be of a form suitable for
representing this type in source code.  Any names embedded in
the result are qualified if possible.

Returns:a string representation of this type
/**
     * Returns an informative string representation of this type.  If
     * possible, the string should be of a form suitable for
     * representing this type in source code.  Any names embedded in
     * the result are qualified if possible.
     *
     * @return a string representation of this type
     */
    String toString();

    
Applies a visitor to this type.

Params:
  • v –   the visitor operating on this type
  • p –   additional parameter to the visitor
Type parameters:
  • <R> – the return type of the visitor's methods
  • <P> – the type of the additional parameter to the visitor's methods
Returns:a visitor-specified result
/**
     * Applies a visitor to this type.
     *
     * @param <R> the return type of the visitor's methods
     * @param <P> the type of the additional parameter to the visitor's methods
     * @param v   the visitor operating on this type
     * @param p   additional parameter to the visitor
     * @return a visitor-specified result
     */
    <R, P> R accept(TypeVisitor<R, P> v, P p);
}