1 /*
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3  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
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8  * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
9  * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
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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
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19  * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
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25 
26 package java.lang.reflect;
27 
28 /**
29  * WildcardType represents a wildcard type expression, such as
30  * {@code ?}, {@code ? extends Number}, or {@code ? super Integer}.
31  *
32  * @since 1.5
33  */
34 public interface WildcardType extends Type {
35     /**
36      * Returns an array of {@code Type} objects representing the  upper
37      * bound(s) of this type variable.  Note that if no upper bound is
38      * explicitly declared, the upper bound is {@code Object}.
39      *
40      * <p>For each upper bound B :
41      * <ul>
42      *  <li>if B is a parameterized type or a type variable, it is created,
43      *  (see {@link java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType ParameterizedType}
44      *  for the details of the creation process for parameterized types).
45      *  <li>Otherwise, B is resolved.
46      * </ul>
47      *
48      * @return an array of Types representing the upper bound(s) of this
49      *     type variable
50      * @throws TypeNotPresentException if any of the
51      *     bounds refers to a non-existent type declaration
52      * @throws MalformedParameterizedTypeException if any of the
53      *     bounds refer to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated
54      *     for any reason
55      */
getUpperBounds()56     Type[] getUpperBounds();
57 
58     /**
59      * Returns an array of {@code Type} objects representing the
60      * lower bound(s) of this type variable.  Note that if no lower bound is
61      * explicitly declared, the lower bound is the type of {@code null}.
62      * In this case, a zero length array is returned.
63      *
64      * <p>For each lower bound B :
65      * <ul>
66      *   <li>if B is a parameterized type or a type variable, it is created,
67      *  (see {@link java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType ParameterizedType}
68      *  for the details of the creation process for parameterized types).
69      *   <li>Otherwise, B is resolved.
70      * </ul>
71      *
72      * @return an array of Types representing the lower bound(s) of this
73      *     type variable
74      * @throws TypeNotPresentException if any of the
75      *     bounds refers to a non-existent type declaration
76      * @throws MalformedParameterizedTypeException if any of the
77      *     bounds refer to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated
78      *     for any reason
79      */
getLowerBounds()80     Type[] getLowerBounds();
81     // one or many? Up to language spec; currently only one, but this API
82     // allows for generalization.
83 }
84