/*
* @(#)ParameterizedType.java 1.5 05/11/17
*
* Copyright 2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
* SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
*/
package java.lang.reflect;
/**
* ParameterizedType represents a parameterized type such as
* Collection<String>.
*
* <p>A parameterized type is created the first time it is needed by a
* reflective method, as specified in this package. When a
* parameterized type p is created, the generic type declaration that
* p instantiates is resolved, and all type arguments of p are created
* recursively. See {@link java.lang.reflect.TypeVariable
* TypeVariable} for details on the creation process for type
* variables. Repeated creation of a parameterized type has no effect.
*
* <p>Instances of classes that implement this interface must implement
* an equals() method that equates any two instances that share the
* same generic type declaration and have equal type parameters.
*
* @since 1.5
*/
public interface ParameterizedType extends Type {
/**
* Returns an array of <tt>Type</tt> objects representing the actual type
* arguments to this type.
*
* <p>Note that in some cases, the returned array be empty. This can occur
* if this type represents a non-parameterized type nested within
* a parameterized type.
*
* @return an array of <tt>Type</tt> objects representing the actual type
* arguments to this type
* @throws <tt>TypeNotPresentException</tt> if any of the
* actual type arguments refers to a non-existent type declaration
* @throws <tt>MalformedParameterizedTypeException</tt> if any of the
* actual type parameters refer to a parameterized type that cannot
* be instantiated for any reason
* @since 1.5
*/
Type[] getActualTypeArguments();
/**
* Returns the <tt>Type</tt> object representing the class or interface
* that declared this type.
*
* @return the <tt>Type</tt> object representing the class or interface
* that declared this type
* @since 1.5
*/
Type getRawType();
/**
* Returns a <tt>Type</tt> object representing the type that this type
* is a member of. For example, if this type is {@code O<T>.I<S>},
* return a representation of {@code O<T>}.
*
* <p>If this type is a top-level type, <tt>null</tt> is returned.
*
* @return a <tt>Type</tt> object representing the type that
* this type is a member of. If this type is a top-level type,
* <tt>null</tt> is returned
* @throws <tt>TypeNotPresentException</tt> if the owner type
* refers to a non-existent type declaration
* @throws <tt>MalformedParameterizedTypeException</tt> if the owner type
* refers to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated
* for any reason
* @since 1.5
*/
Type getOwnerType();
}