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Aurimas Liutikasdc3f8852024-07-11 10:07:48 -07001/*
2 * Copyright (c) 2003, 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
3 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
4 *
5 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
6 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
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9 * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
10 *
11 * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
12 * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
13 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
14 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
15 * accompanied this code).
16 *
17 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
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19 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
20 *
21 * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
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24 */
25
26package java.lang.annotation;
27
28/**
29 * Indicates the contexts in which an annotation interface is applicable. The
30 * declaration contexts and type contexts in which an annotation interface may
31 * be applicable are specified in JLS {@jls 9.6.4.1}, and denoted in source code by
32 * enum constants of {@link ElementType java.lang.annotation.ElementType}.
33 *
34 * <p>If an {@code @Target} meta-annotation is not present on an annotation
35 * interface {@code T}, then an annotation of type {@code T} may be written as
36 * a modifier for any declaration.
37 *
38 * <p>If an {@code @Target} meta-annotation is present, the compiler will enforce
39 * the usage restrictions indicated by {@code ElementType}
40 * enum constants, in line with JLS {@jls 9.7.4}.
41 *
42 * <p>For example, this {@code @Target} meta-annotation indicates that the
43 * declared interface is itself a meta-annotation interface. It can only be
44 * used on annotation interface declarations:
45 * <pre>
46 * &#064;Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE)
47 * public &#064;interface MetaAnnotationType {
48 * ...
49 * }
50 * </pre>
51 *
52 * <p>This {@code @Target} meta-annotation indicates that the declared class or
53 * interface is intended solely for use as a member class or interface in
54 * complex annotation interface declarations. It cannot be used to annotate
55 * anything directly:
56 * <pre>
57 * &#064;Target({})
58 * public &#064;interface MemberInterface {
59 * ...
60 * }
61 * </pre>
62 *
63 * <p>It is a compile-time error for a single {@code ElementType} constant to
64 * appear more than once in an {@code @Target} annotation. For example, the
65 * following {@code @Target} meta-annotation is illegal:
66 * <pre>
67 * &#064;Target({ElementType.FIELD, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.FIELD})
68 * public &#064;interface Bogus {
69 * ...
70 * }
71 * </pre>
72 *
73 * @since 1.5
74 * @jls 9.6.4.1 @Target
75 * @jls 9.7.4 Where Annotations May Appear
76 * @jls 9.7.5 Multiple Annotations of the Same Interface
77 */
78@Documented
79@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
80@Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE)
81public @interface Target {
82 /**
83 * Returns an array of the kinds of elements an annotation interface
84 * can be applied to.
85 * @return an array of the kinds of elements an annotation interface
86 * can be applied to
87 */
88 ElementType[] value();
89}