/*

 * Copyright (c) 2003, 2004, 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.reflect;

/**

 * WildcardType represents a wildcard type expression, such as

 * {@code ?}, {@code ? extends Number}, or {@code ? super Integer}.

 *

 * @since 1.5

 */

public interface WildcardType extends Type {

    /**

     * Returns an array of {@code Type} objects representing the  upper

     * bound(s) of this type variable.  Note that if no upper bound is

     * explicitly declared, the upper bound is {@code Object}.

     *

     * <p>For each upper bound B :

     * <ul>

     *  <li>if B is a parameterized type or a type variable, it is created,

     *  (see {@link java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType ParameterizedType}

     *  for the details of the creation process for parameterized types).

     *  <li>Otherwise, B is resolved.

     * </ul>

     *

     * @return an array of Types representing the upper bound(s) of this

     *     type variable

     * @throws TypeNotPresentException if any of the

     *     bounds refers to a non-existent type declaration

     * @throws MalformedParameterizedTypeException if any of the

     *     bounds refer to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated

     *     for any reason

     */

    Type[] getUpperBounds();

    /**

     * Returns an array of {@code Type} objects representing the

     * lower bound(s) of this type variable.  Note that if no lower bound is

     * explicitly declared, the lower bound is the type of {@code null}.

     * In this case, a zero length array is returned.

     *

     * <p>For each lower bound B :

     * <ul>

     *   <li>if B is a parameterized type or a type variable, it is created,

     *  (see {@link java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType ParameterizedType}

     *  for the details of the creation process for parameterized types).

     *   <li>Otherwise, B is resolved.

     * </ul>

     *

     * @return an array of Types representing the lower bound(s) of this

     *     type variable

     * @throws TypeNotPresentException if any of the

     *     bounds refers to a non-existent type declaration

     * @throws MalformedParameterizedTypeException if any of the

     *     bounds refer to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated

     *     for any reason

     */

    Type[] getLowerBounds();

    // one or many? Up to language spec; currently only one, but this API

    // allows for generalization.

}