/**
 * This file Copyright (c) 2003-2012 Magnolia International
 * Ltd.  (http://www.magnolia-cms.com). All rights reserved.
 *
 *
 * This file is dual-licensed under both the Magnolia
 * Network Agreement and the GNU General Public License.
 * You may elect to use one or the other of these licenses.
 *
 * This file is distributed in the hope that it will be
 * useful, but AS-IS and WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the
 * implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
 * PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, or NONINFRINGEMENT.
 * Redistribution, except as permitted by whichever of the GPL
 * or MNA you select, is prohibited.
 *
 * 1. For the GPL license (GPL), you can redistribute and/or
 * modify this file under the terms of the GNU General
 * Public License, Version 3, as published by the Free Software
 * Foundation.  You should have received a copy of the GNU
 * General Public License, Version 3 along with this program;
 * if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51
 * Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
 *
 * 2. For the Magnolia Network Agreement (MNA), this file
 * and the accompanying materials are made available under the
 * terms of the MNA which accompanies this distribution, and
 * is available at http://www.magnolia-cms.com/mna.html
 *
 * Any modifications to this file must keep this entire header
 * intact.
 *
 */
package info.magnolia.objectfactory;

/**
 * Implementations of ComponentFactory provide their own instantiation mechanisms. Implementations could
 * for instance get constructor parameters from some well-known place, or call an initialization method, etc.
 *
 * ComponentFactory implementations can be registered in place of the component they're instantiating. (i.e using the
 * same key)
 *
 * @param <T> the type of component this factory instantiates.
 * @version $Id$
 * @see ComponentProvider#getComponent(Class)
 */
public interface ComponentFactory<T> {

    /**
     * Called by the ComponentProvider to create a component. This will only be done once and hence instances created
     * by component factories are effectively singletons.
     */
    T newInstance();
}