1 /* 2 * Copyright (c) 2003, 2013, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 3 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER. 4 * 5 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it 6 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as 7 * published by the Free Software Foundation. Oracle designates this 8 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided 9 * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code. 10 * 11 * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT 12 * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or 13 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License 14 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that 15 * accompanied this code). 16 * 17 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version 18 * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, 19 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA. 20 * 21 * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA 22 * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any 23 * questions. 24 */ 25 26 package java.lang.annotation; 27 28 /** 29 * Indicates how long annotations with the annotated type are to 30 * be retained. If no Retention annotation is present on 31 * an annotation type declaration, the retention policy defaults to 32 * {@code RetentionPolicy.CLASS}. 33 * 34 * <p>A Retention meta-annotation has effect only if the 35 * meta-annotated type is used directly for annotation. It has no 36 * effect if the meta-annotated type is used as a member type in 37 * another annotation type. 38 * 39 * @author Joshua Bloch 40 * @since 1.5 41 * @jls 9.6.3.2 @Retention 42 */ 43 @Documented 44 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME) 45 @Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE) 46 public @interface Retention { 47 /** 48 * Returns the retention policy. 49 * @return the retention policy 50 */ value()51 RetentionPolicy value(); 52 } 53