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* DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
*
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* published by the Free Software Foundation. Oracle designates this
* particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
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*
* This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
* ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
* version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
* accompanied this code).
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
* 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
* Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
*
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package java.lang.annotation;
/**
* Indicates the contexts in which an annotation type is applicable. The
* declaration contexts and type contexts in which an annotation type may be
* applicable are specified in JLS 9.6.4.1, and denoted in source code by enum
* constants of {@link ElementType java.lang.annotation.ElementType}.
*
* <p>If an {@code @Target} meta-annotation is not present on an annotation type
* {@code T} , then an annotation of type {@code T} may be written as a
* modifier for any declaration except a type parameter declaration.
*
* <p>If an {@code @Target} meta-annotation is present, the compiler will enforce
* the usage restrictions indicated by {@code ElementType}
* enum constants, in line with JLS 9.7.4.
*
* <p>For example, this {@code @Target} meta-annotation indicates that the
* declared type is itself a meta-annotation type. It can only be used on
* annotation type declarations:
* <pre>
* @Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE)
* public @interface MetaAnnotationType {
* ...
* }
* </pre>
*
* <p>This {@code @Target} meta-annotation indicates that the declared type is
* intended solely for use as a member type in complex annotation type
* declarations. It cannot be used to annotate anything directly:
* <pre>
* @Target({})
* public @interface MemberType {
* ...
* }
* </pre>
*
* <p>It is a compile-time error for a single {@code ElementType} constant to
* appear more than once in an {@code @Target} annotation. For example, the
* following {@code @Target} meta-annotation is illegal:
* <pre>
* @Target({ElementType.FIELD, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.FIELD})
* public @interface Bogus {
* ...
* }
* </pre>
*
* @since 1.5
* @jls 9.6.4.1 @Target
* @jls 9.7.4 Where Annotations May Appear
* @jls 9.7.5 Multiple Annotations of the Same Type
*/
@Documented
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE)
public @interface Target {
/**
* Returns an array of the kinds of elements an annotation type
* can be applied to.
* @return an array of the kinds of elements an annotation type
* can be applied to
*/
ElementType[] value();
}