/*

 * Copyright (c) 2003, 2013, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.

 *

 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it

 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as

 * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Oracle designates this

 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided

 * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.

 *

 * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT

 * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or

 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License

 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that

 * accompanied this code).

 *

 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version

 * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,

 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.

 *

 * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA

 * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any

 * questions.

 */

package java.lang.annotation;

/**

 * Indicates how long annotations with the annotated type are to

 * be retained.  If no Retention annotation is present on

 * an annotation type declaration, the retention policy defaults to

 * {@code RetentionPolicy.CLASS}.

 *

 * <p>A Retention meta-annotation has effect only if the

 * meta-annotated type is used directly for annotation.  It has no

 * effect if the meta-annotated type is used as a member type in

 * another annotation type.

 *

 * @author  Joshua Bloch

 * @since 1.5

 * @jls 9.6.3.2 @Retention

 */

@Documented

@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)

@Target(ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE)

public @interface Retention {

    /**

     * Returns the retention policy.

     * @return the retention policy

     */

    RetentionPolicy value();

}