package org.checkerframework.framework.qual;

import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;

/**
 * A postcondition annotation to indicate that a method ensures certain expressions to have a
 * certain type qualifier once the method has successfully terminated. The expressions for which the
 * qualifier must hold after the methods execution are indicated by {@code expression} and are
 * specified using a string. The qualifier is specified by {@code qualifier}.
 *
 * <p>Here is an example use:
 *
 * <pre><code>
 *  {@literal @}EnsuresQualifier(expression = "p.f1", qualifier = Odd.class)
 *   void oddF1_1() {
 *       p.f1 = null;
 *   }
 * </code></pre>
 *
 * @author Stefan Heule
 * @see EnsuresQualifiers
 * @checker_framework.manual #java-expressions-as-arguments Syntax of Java expressions
 */
@Documented
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@Target({ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR})
@InheritedAnnotation
public @interface EnsuresQualifier {
    /**
     * The Java expressions for which the qualifier holds after successful method termination.
     *
     * @checker_framework.manual #java-expressions-as-arguments Syntax of Java expressions
     */
    String[] expression();

    /** The qualifier that is guaranteed to hold on successfull termination of the method. */
    Class<? extends Annotation> qualifier();
}