/*
 * %W% %E%
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2006, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
 * ORACLE PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */

package java.lang.reflect;

/**
 * ParameterizedType represents a parameterized type such as
 * Collection<String>.
 *
 * <p>A parameterized type is created the first time it is needed by a
 * reflective method, as specified in this package. When a
 * parameterized type p is created, the generic type declaration that
 * p instantiates is resolved, and all type arguments of p are created
 * recursively. See {@link java.lang.reflect.TypeVariable
 * TypeVariable} for details on the creation process for type
 * variables. Repeated creation of a parameterized type has no effect.
 *
 * <p>Instances of classes that implement this interface must implement
 * an equals() method that equates any two instances that share the
 * same generic type declaration and have equal type parameters.
 *
 * @since 1.5
 */
public interface ParameterizedType extends Type
{
	/**
	 * Returns an array of <tt>Type</tt> objects representing the actual type
	 * arguments to this type.
	 *
	 * <p>Note that in some cases, the returned array be empty. This can occur
	 * if this type represents a non-parameterized type nested within
	 * a parameterized type.
	 *
	 * @return an array of <tt>Type</tt> objects representing the actual type
	 *     arguments to this type
	 * @throws <tt>TypeNotPresentException</tt> if any of the
	 *     actual type arguments refers to a non-existent type declaration
	 * @throws <tt>MalformedParameterizedTypeException</tt> if any of the
	 *     actual type parameters refer to a parameterized type that cannot
	 *     be instantiated for any reason
	 * @since 1.5
	 */
	Type[] getActualTypeArguments();

	/**
	 * Returns the <tt>Type</tt> object representing the class or interface
	 * that declared this type.
	 *
	 * @return the <tt>Type</tt> object representing the class or interface
	 *     that declared this type
	 * @since 1.5
	 */
	Type getRawType();

	/**
	 * Returns a <tt>Type</tt> object representing the type that this type
	 * is a member of.  For example, if this type is {@code O<T>.I<S>},
	 * return a representation of {@code O<T>}.
	 *
	 * <p>If this type is a top-level type, <tt>null</tt> is returned.
	 *
	 * @return a <tt>Type</tt> object representing the type that
	 *     this type is a member of. If this type is a top-level type,
	 *     <tt>null</tt> is returned
	 * @throws <tt>TypeNotPresentException</tt> if the owner type
	 *     refers to a non-existent type declaration
	 * @throws <tt>MalformedParameterizedTypeException</tt> if the owner type
	 *     refers to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated
	 *     for any reason
	 * @since 1.5
	 */
	Type getOwnerType();
}