/*
 * Hibernate, Relational Persistence for Idiomatic Java
 *
 * License: GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), version 2.1 or later.
 * See the lgpl.txt file in the root directory or <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-2.1.html>.
 */
package org.hibernate.annotations;

import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;
import java.util.Comparator;

import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.FIELD;
import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.METHOD;
import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;

/**
 * Specifies in-memory Set/Map sorting using a specified {@link Comparator} for sorting.
 *
 * NOTE : Sorting is different than ordering (see {@link OrderBy}) which is applied during the SQL SELECT.
 *
 * For sorting based on natural sort order, use {@link SortNatural} instead.  It is illegal to combine
 * {@link SortComparator} and {@link SortNatural}.
 *
 * @see OrderBy
 * @see SortComparator
 *
 * @author Steve Ebersole
 */
@Target({METHOD, FIELD})
@Retention(RUNTIME)
public @interface SortComparator {
	/**
	 * Specifies the comparator class to use.
	 */
	Class<? extends Comparator<?>> value();
}