- java.lang.Object
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- java.lang.Enum<RetentionPolicy>
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- java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy
 
 
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- All Implemented Interfaces:
- Serializable,- Comparable<RetentionPolicy>
 
 public enum RetentionPolicy extends Enum<RetentionPolicy> Annotation retention policy. The constants of this enumerated type describe the various policies for retaining annotations. They are used in conjunction with theRetentionmeta-annotation type to specify how long annotations are to be retained.- Since:
- 1.5
 
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Enum Constant SummaryEnum Constants Enum Constant Description CLASSAnnotations are to be recorded in the class file by the compiler but need not be retained by the VM at run time.RUNTIMEAnnotations are to be recorded in the class file by the compiler and retained by the VM at run time, so they may be read reflectively.SOURCEAnnotations are to be discarded by the compiler.
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Method SummaryAll Methods Static Methods Concrete Methods Modifier and Type Method Description static RetentionPolicyvalueOf(String name)Returns the enum constant of this type with the specified name.static RetentionPolicy[]values()Returns an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared.
 
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Enum Constant Detail- 
SOURCEpublic static final RetentionPolicy SOURCE Annotations are to be discarded by the compiler.
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CLASSpublic static final RetentionPolicy CLASS Annotations are to be recorded in the class file by the compiler but need not be retained by the VM at run time. This is the default behavior.
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RUNTIMEpublic static final RetentionPolicy RUNTIME Annotations are to be recorded in the class file by the compiler and retained by the VM at run time, so they may be read reflectively.- See Also:
- AnnotatedElement
 
 
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Method Detail- 
valuespublic static RetentionPolicy[] values() Returns an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared. This method may be used to iterate over the constants as follows:for (RetentionPolicy c : RetentionPolicy.values()) System.out.println(c); - Returns:
- an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared
 
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valueOfpublic static RetentionPolicy valueOf(String name) Returns the enum constant of this type with the specified name. The string must match exactly an identifier used to declare an enum constant in this type. (Extraneous whitespace characters are not permitted.)- Parameters:
- name- the name of the enum constant to be returned.
- Returns:
- the enum constant with the specified name
- Throws:
- IllegalArgumentException- if this enum type has no constant with the specified name
- NullPointerException- if the argument is null
 
 
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