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     RetentionPolicy value();
  48 }