package org.marketcetera.trade;

import java.io.Serializable;

import javax.annotation.concurrent.Immutable;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlSeeAlso;

import org.marketcetera.util.misc.ClassVersion;

/* $License$ */

/**
 * A financial instrument.
 * <p>
 * Each instrument has a symbol attribute. Sub-types may add more
 * attributes as needed to uniquely identify the instrument being traded.
 * <p>
 * Each instrument sub-type should override the {@link #equals(Object)} &
 * {@link #hashCode()} methods to ensure that any two instrument instances that
 * refer to the same instrument are considered equal.
 * 
 * @author <a href="mailto:will@marketcetera.com">Will Horn</a>
 * @version $Id: Instrument.java 16854 2014-03-12 01:54:42Z colin $
 * @since 2.0.0
 */
@Immutable
@XmlSeeAlso({ Equity.class,Option.class,Future.class,Currency.class,ConvertibleBond.class })
@ClassVersion("$Id: Instrument.java 16854 2014-03-12 01:54:42Z colin $")
public abstract class Instrument
        implements Serializable
{
	/**
	 * Returns the symbol value.
	 * 
	 * @return the symbol value.
	 */
	public abstract String getSymbol();
	/**
	 * Returns the security type for this Instrument.
	 * 
	 * @return the security type.
	 */
	public abstract SecurityType getSecurityType();
	/**
	 * Returns a symbol that describes sufficient of the instrument attributes that it can be used to recreate the instrument.
	 *
	 * @return a <code>String</code>
	 */
	public String getFullSymbol()
	{
	    return getSymbol();
	}
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
}