/**********************************************************************************
* $URL: https://source.sakaiproject.org/svn/kernel/trunk/api/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/memory/api/Cacher.java $
* $Id: Cacher.java 105077 2012-02-24 22:54:29Z ottenhoff@longsight.com $
***********************************************************************************
*
* Copyright (c) 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 Sakai Foundation
*
* Licensed under the Educational Community License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
* you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
* You may obtain a copy of the License at
*
* http://www.opensource.org/licenses/ECL-2.0
*
* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
* distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
* WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
* See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
* limitations under the License.
*
**********************************************************************************/
package org.sakaiproject.memory.api;
/**
* <p>
* Cacher is an interface for any object that uses memory caches.
* </p>
* <p>
* Cachers may be asked to clear their caches to free up memory or re-sync with external stores.
* </p>
*/
public interface Cacher
{
/**
* Clear out as much as possible anything cached; re-sync any cache that is needed to be kept.
*/
void resetCache();
/**
* Return the size of the cacher - indicating how much memory in use.
*
* @return The size of the cacher.
*/
long getSize();
/**
* Return a description of the cacher.
*
* @return The cacher's description.
*/
String getDescription();
}