java.lang.reflect: public interface: TypeVariable

java.lang.reflect
public interface: TypeVariable [javadoc | source]

All Implemented Interfaces:
Type

TypeVariable is the common superinterface for type variables of kinds. A type variable is created the first time it is needed by a reflective method, as specified in this package. If a type variable t is referenced by a type (i.e, class, interface or annotation type) T, and T is declared by the nth enclosing class of T (see JLS 8.1.2), then the creation of t requires the resolution (see JVMS 5) of the ith enclosing class of T, for i = 0 to n, inclusive. Creating a type variable must not cause the creation of its bounds. Repeated creation of a type variable has no effect.

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

Parameters:

< - D> the type of generic declaration that declared the underlying type variable.

since: 1.5 -

Method from java.lang.reflect.TypeVariable Summary:
getBounds, getGenericDeclaration, getName

Method from java.lang.reflect.TypeVariable Detail:
public Type[] getBounds() Returns an array of {@code Type} objects representing the upper bound(s) of this type variable. Note that if no upper bound is explicitly declared, the upper bound is {@code Object}. For each upper bound B: if B is a parameterized type or a type variable, it is created, (see ParameterizedType for the details of the creation process for parameterized types). Otherwise, B is resolved.
public D getGenericDeclaration() Returns the {@code GenericDeclaration} object representing the generic declaration declared this type variable.
public String getName() Returns the name of this type variable, as it occurs in the source code.

Method from java.lang.reflect.TypeVariable Detail:

 public Type[] getBounds()Returns an array of {@code Type} objects representing the
upper bound(s) of this type variable. Note that if no upper bound is
explicitly declared, the upper bound is {@code Object}.

For each upper bound B: 
 if B is a parameterized
type or a type variable, it is created, (see ParameterizedType  for the
details of the creation process for parameterized types).
Otherwise, B is resolved.

 public D getGenericDeclaration()Returns the {@code GenericDeclaration} object representing the
generic declaration declared this type variable.

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