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package java.lang.reflect;

import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;


Represents an annotated element of the program currently running in this
VM.  This interface allows annotations to be read reflectively.  All
annotations returned by methods in this interface are immutable and
serializable.  It is permissible for the caller to modify the
arrays returned by accessors for array-valued enum members; it will
have no affect on the arrays returned to other callers.

If an annotation returned by a method in this interface contains (directly or indirectly) a Class-valued member referring to a class that is not accessible in this VM, attempting to read the class by calling the relevant Class-returning method on the returned annotation will result in a TypeNotPresentException. 
Similarly, attempting to read an enum-valued member will result in a EnumConstantNotPresentException if the enum constant in the annotation is no longer present in the enum type. 
Finally, Attempting to read a member whose definition has evolved incompatibly will result in a AnnotationTypeMismatchException or an IncompleteAnnotationException. 
Author:Josh Bloch
Since:1.5
/**
 * Represents an annotated element of the program currently running in this
 * VM.  This interface allows annotations to be read reflectively.  All
 * annotations returned by methods in this interface are immutable and
 * serializable.  It is permissible for the caller to modify the
 * arrays returned by accessors for array-valued enum members; it will
 * have no affect on the arrays returned to other callers.
 *
 * <p>If an annotation returned by a method in this interface contains
 * (directly or indirectly) a {@link Class}-valued member referring to
 * a class that is not accessible in this VM, attempting to read the class
 * by calling the relevant Class-returning method on the returned annotation
 * will result in a {@link TypeNotPresentException}.
 *
 * <p>Similarly, attempting to read an enum-valued member will result in
 * a {@link EnumConstantNotPresentException} if the enum constant in the
 * annotation is no longer present in the enum type.
 *
 * <p>Finally, Attempting to read a member whose definition has evolved
 * incompatibly will result in a {@link
 * java.lang.annotation.AnnotationTypeMismatchException} or an
 * {@link java.lang.annotation.IncompleteAnnotationException}.
 *
 * @since 1.5
 * @author Josh Bloch
 */
public interface AnnotatedElement {
    
Returns true if an annotation for the specified type
is present on this element, else false.  This method
is designed primarily for convenient access to marker annotations.

Params:
  • annotationClass – the Class object corresponding to the
       annotation type
Throws:
Returns:true if an annotation for the specified annotation
    type is present on this element, else false
Since:1.5
/**
     * Returns true if an annotation for the specified type
     * is present on this element, else false.  This method
     * is designed primarily for convenient access to marker annotations.
     *
     * @param annotationClass the Class object corresponding to the
     *        annotation type
     * @return true if an annotation for the specified annotation
     *     type is present on this element, else false
     * @throws NullPointerException if the given annotation class is null
     * @since 1.5
     */
     boolean isAnnotationPresent(Class<? extends Annotation> annotationClass);

   
Returns this element's annotation for the specified type if
such an annotation is present, else null.

Params:
  • annotationClass – the Class object corresponding to the
       annotation type
Throws:
Returns:this element's annotation for the specified annotation type if
    present on this element, else null
Since:1.5
/**
     * Returns this element's annotation for the specified type if
     * such an annotation is present, else null.
     *
     * @param annotationClass the Class object corresponding to the
     *        annotation type
     * @return this element's annotation for the specified annotation type if
     *     present on this element, else null
     * @throws NullPointerException if the given annotation class is null
     * @since 1.5
     */
    <T extends Annotation> T getAnnotation(Class<T> annotationClass);

    
Returns all annotations present on this element.  (Returns an array
of length zero if this element has no annotations.)  The caller of
this method is free to modify the returned array; it will have no
effect on the arrays returned to other callers.

Returns:all annotations present on this element
Since:1.5
/**
     * Returns all annotations present on this element.  (Returns an array
     * of length zero if this element has no annotations.)  The caller of
     * this method is free to modify the returned array; it will have no
     * effect on the arrays returned to other callers.
     *
     * @return all annotations present on this element
     * @since 1.5
     */
    Annotation[] getAnnotations();

    
Returns all annotations that are directly present on this
element.  Unlike the other methods in this interface, this method
ignores inherited annotations.  (Returns an array of length zero if
no annotations are directly present on this element.)  The caller of
this method is free to modify the returned array; it will have no
effect on the arrays returned to other callers.

Returns:All annotations directly present on this element
Since:1.5
/**
     * Returns all annotations that are directly present on this
     * element.  Unlike the other methods in this interface, this method
     * ignores inherited annotations.  (Returns an array of length zero if
     * no annotations are directly present on this element.)  The caller of
     * this method is free to modify the returned array; it will have no
     * effect on the arrays returned to other callers.
     *
     * @return All annotations directly present on this element
     * @since 1.5
     */
    Annotation[] getDeclaredAnnotations();
}