Interface TypeVariable<D extendsGenericDeclaration>

Type Parameters:
D - the type of generic declaration that declared theunderlying type variable.
All Superinterfaces:
AnnotatedElement,Type
public interfaceTypeVariable<D extendsGenericDeclaration>extendsType,AnnotatedElement
TypeVariable is the common superinterface for type variables of kinds.A type variable is created the first time it is needed by a reflectivemethod, as specified in this package. If a type variable t is referencedby a type (i.e, class, interface or annotation type) T, and T is declaredby the nth enclosing class of T (see JLS8.1.2), then the creation of trequires the resolution (see JVMS5) of the ith enclosing class of T,for i = 0 to n, inclusive. Creating a type variable must not cause thecreation of its bounds. Repeated creation of a type variable has no effect.

Multiple objects may be instantiated at run-time torepresent a given type variable. Even though a type variable iscreated only once, this does not imply any requirement to cacheinstances representing the type variable. However, all instancesrepresenting a type variable must be equal() to each other.As a consequence, users of type variables must not rely on the identityof instances of classes implementing this interface.

SeeJava Language Specification:
4.4 Type Variables
Since:
1.5

  • Method Details

    • getBounds

      Type[] getBounds()
      Returns an array ofType objects representing theupper bound(s) of this type variable. If no upper bound isexplicitly declared, the upper bound isObject.

      For each upper bound B:

      • if B is a parameterizedtype or a type variable, it is created, (seeParameterizedType for thedetails of the creation process for parameterized types).
      • Otherwise, B is resolved.

      Returns:
      an array ofTypes representing the upper bound(s) of this type variable
      Throws:
      TypeNotPresentException - if any of the bounds refers to a non-existent type declaration
      MalformedParameterizedTypeException - if any of the bounds refer to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated for any reason

    • getGenericDeclaration

      D getGenericDeclaration()
      Returns theGenericDeclaration object representing thegeneric declaration declared for this type variable.
      Returns:
      the generic declaration declared for this type variable.
      Since:
      1.5

    • getName

      String getName()
      Returns the name of this type variable, as it occurs in the source code.
      Returns:
      the name of this type variable, as it appears in the source code

    • getAnnotatedBounds

      AnnotatedType[] getAnnotatedBounds()
      Returns an array of AnnotatedType objects that represent the use oftypes to denote the upper bounds of the type parameter represented bythis TypeVariable. The order of the objects in the array corresponds tothe order of the bounds in the declaration of the type parameter. Note thatif no upper bound is explicitly declared, the upper bound is unannotatedObject.
      Returns:
      an array of objects representing the upper bound(s) of the type variable
      Since:
      1.8