AnnotationMetadata.java

package org.springframework.roo.classpath.details.annotations;

import java.util.List;

import org.springframework.roo.classpath.details.comments.CommentedJavaStructure;
import org.springframework.roo.model.JavaSymbolName;
import org.springframework.roo.model.JavaType;

/**
 * Metadata concerning a particular annotation appearing on a member.
 * 
 * @author Ben Alex
 * @author Andrew Swan
 * @since 1.0
 */
public interface AnnotationMetadata extends CommentedJavaStructure {

  /**
   * @return the annotation type (never null)
   */
  JavaType getAnnotationType();

  /**
   * Acquires an attribute value for the requested name.
   * 
   * @param attributeName
   * @return the requested attribute (or null if not found)
   */
  AnnotationAttributeValue<?> getAttribute(JavaSymbolName attributeName);

  /**
   * Returns the value of the given attribute
   * 
   * @param attributeName
   * @return the requested attribute (or null if not found)
   * @since 1.2.0
   */
  <T> AnnotationAttributeValue<T> getAttribute(String attributeName);

  /**
   * @return the attribute names, preferably in the order they are declared in
   *         the annotation (never null, but may be empty)
   */
  List<JavaSymbolName> getAttributeNames();
}