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package org.springframework.beans.factory;

import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;

Interface to be implemented by objects used within a BeanFactory which are themselves factories for individual objects. If a bean implements this interface, it is used as a factory for an object to expose, not directly as a bean instance that will be exposed itself.

NB: A bean that implements this interface cannot be used as a normal bean. A FactoryBean is defined in a bean style, but the object exposed for bean references (getObject()) is always the object that it creates.

FactoryBeans can support singletons and prototypes, and can either create objects lazily on demand or eagerly on startup. The SmartFactoryBean interface allows for exposing more fine-grained behavioral metadata.

This interface is heavily used within the framework itself, for example for the AOP ProxyFactoryBean or the JndiObjectFactoryBean. It can be used for custom components as well; however, this is only common for infrastructure code.

FactoryBean is a programmatic contract. Implementations are not supposed to rely on annotation-driven injection or other reflective facilities. getObjectType() getObject() invocations may arrive early in the bootstrap process, even ahead of any post-processor setup. If you need access other beans, implement BeanFactoryAware and obtain them programmatically.

Finally, FactoryBean objects participate in the containing BeanFactory's synchronization of bean creation. There is usually no need for internal synchronization other than for purposes of lazy initialization within the FactoryBean itself (or the like).

Author:Rod Johnson, Juergen Hoeller
Type parameters:
  • <T> – the bean type
See Also:
Since:08.03.2003
/** * Interface to be implemented by objects used within a {@link BeanFactory} which * are themselves factories for individual objects. If a bean implements this * interface, it is used as a factory for an object to expose, not directly as a * bean instance that will be exposed itself. * * <p><b>NB: A bean that implements this interface cannot be used as a normal bean.</b> * A FactoryBean is defined in a bean style, but the object exposed for bean * references ({@link #getObject()}) is always the object that it creates. * * <p>FactoryBeans can support singletons and prototypes, and can either create * objects lazily on demand or eagerly on startup. The {@link SmartFactoryBean} * interface allows for exposing more fine-grained behavioral metadata. * * <p>This interface is heavily used within the framework itself, for example for * the AOP {@link org.springframework.aop.framework.ProxyFactoryBean} or the * {@link org.springframework.jndi.JndiObjectFactoryBean}. It can be used for * custom components as well; however, this is only common for infrastructure code. * * <p><b>{@code FactoryBean} is a programmatic contract. Implementations are not * supposed to rely on annotation-driven injection or other reflective facilities.</b> * {@link #getObjectType()} {@link #getObject()} invocations may arrive early in * the bootstrap process, even ahead of any post-processor setup. If you need access * other beans, implement {@link BeanFactoryAware} and obtain them programmatically. * * <p>Finally, FactoryBean objects participate in the containing BeanFactory's * synchronization of bean creation. There is usually no need for internal * synchronization other than for purposes of lazy initialization within the * FactoryBean itself (or the like). * * @author Rod Johnson * @author Juergen Hoeller * @since 08.03.2003 * @param <T> the bean type * @see org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory * @see org.springframework.aop.framework.ProxyFactoryBean * @see org.springframework.jndi.JndiObjectFactoryBean */
public interface FactoryBean<T> {
Return an instance (possibly shared or independent) of the object managed by this factory.

As with a BeanFactory, this allows support for both the Singleton and Prototype design pattern.

If this FactoryBean is not fully initialized yet at the time of the call (for example because it is involved in a circular reference), throw a corresponding FactoryBeanNotInitializedException.

As of Spring 2.0, FactoryBeans are allowed to return null objects. The factory will consider this as normal value to be used; it will not throw a FactoryBeanNotInitializedException in this case anymore. FactoryBean implementations are encouraged to throw FactoryBeanNotInitializedException themselves now, as appropriate.

Throws:
See Also:
Returns:an instance of the bean (can be null)
/** * Return an instance (possibly shared or independent) of the object * managed by this factory. * <p>As with a {@link BeanFactory}, this allows support for both the * Singleton and Prototype design pattern. * <p>If this FactoryBean is not fully initialized yet at the time of * the call (for example because it is involved in a circular reference), * throw a corresponding {@link FactoryBeanNotInitializedException}. * <p>As of Spring 2.0, FactoryBeans are allowed to return {@code null} * objects. The factory will consider this as normal value to be used; it * will not throw a FactoryBeanNotInitializedException in this case anymore. * FactoryBean implementations are encouraged to throw * FactoryBeanNotInitializedException themselves now, as appropriate. * @return an instance of the bean (can be {@code null}) * @throws Exception in case of creation errors * @see FactoryBeanNotInitializedException */
@Nullable T getObject() throws Exception;
Return the type of object that this FactoryBean creates, or null if not known in advance.

This allows one to check for specific types of beans without instantiating objects, for example on autowiring.

In the case of implementations that are creating a singleton object, this method should try to avoid singleton creation as far as possible; it should rather estimate the type in advance. For prototypes, returning a meaningful type here is advisable too.

This method can be called before this FactoryBean has been fully initialized. It must not rely on state created during initialization; of course, it can still use such state if available.

NOTE: Autowiring will simply ignore FactoryBeans that return null here. Therefore it is highly recommended to implement this method properly, using the current state of the FactoryBean.

See Also:
Returns:the type of object that this FactoryBean creates, or null if not known at the time of the call
/** * Return the type of object that this FactoryBean creates, * or {@code null} if not known in advance. * <p>This allows one to check for specific types of beans without * instantiating objects, for example on autowiring. * <p>In the case of implementations that are creating a singleton object, * this method should try to avoid singleton creation as far as possible; * it should rather estimate the type in advance. * For prototypes, returning a meaningful type here is advisable too. * <p>This method can be called <i>before</i> this FactoryBean has * been fully initialized. It must not rely on state created during * initialization; of course, it can still use such state if available. * <p><b>NOTE:</b> Autowiring will simply ignore FactoryBeans that return * {@code null} here. Therefore it is highly recommended to implement * this method properly, using the current state of the FactoryBean. * @return the type of object that this FactoryBean creates, * or {@code null} if not known at the time of the call * @see ListableBeanFactory#getBeansOfType */
@Nullable Class<?> getObjectType();
Is the object managed by this factory a singleton? That is, will getObject() always return the same object (a reference that can be cached)?

NOTE: If a FactoryBean indicates to hold a singleton object, the object returned from getObject() might get cached by the owning BeanFactory. Hence, do not return true unless the FactoryBean always exposes the same reference.

The singleton status of the FactoryBean itself will generally be provided by the owning BeanFactory; usually, it has to be defined as singleton there.

NOTE: This method returning false does not necessarily indicate that returned objects are independent instances. An implementation of the extended SmartFactoryBean interface may explicitly indicate independent instances through its SmartFactoryBean.isPrototype() method. Plain FactoryBean implementations which do not implement this extended interface are simply assumed to always return independent instances if the isSingleton() implementation returns false.

The default implementation returns true, since a FactoryBean typically manages a singleton instance.

See Also:
Returns:whether the exposed object is a singleton
/** * Is the object managed by this factory a singleton? That is, * will {@link #getObject()} always return the same object * (a reference that can be cached)? * <p><b>NOTE:</b> If a FactoryBean indicates to hold a singleton object, * the object returned from {@code getObject()} might get cached * by the owning BeanFactory. Hence, do not return {@code true} * unless the FactoryBean always exposes the same reference. * <p>The singleton status of the FactoryBean itself will generally * be provided by the owning BeanFactory; usually, it has to be * defined as singleton there. * <p><b>NOTE:</b> This method returning {@code false} does not * necessarily indicate that returned objects are independent instances. * An implementation of the extended {@link SmartFactoryBean} interface * may explicitly indicate independent instances through its * {@link SmartFactoryBean#isPrototype()} method. Plain {@link FactoryBean} * implementations which do not implement this extended interface are * simply assumed to always return independent instances if the * {@code isSingleton()} implementation returns {@code false}. * <p>The default implementation returns {@code true}, since a * {@code FactoryBean} typically manages a singleton instance. * @return whether the exposed object is a singleton * @see #getObject() * @see SmartFactoryBean#isPrototype() */
default boolean isSingleton() { return true; } }