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13  * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
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25 
26 package java.lang;
27 
28 import java.lang.annotation.*;
29 
30 /**
31  * A programmer assertion that the body of the annotated method or
32  * constructor does not perform potentially unsafe operations on its
33  * varargs parameter.  Applying this annotation to a method or
34  * constructor suppresses unchecked warnings about a
35  * <i>non-reifiable</i> variable arity (vararg) type and suppresses
36  * unchecked warnings about parameterized array creation at call
37  * sites.
38  *
39  * <p> In addition to the usage restrictions imposed by its {@link
40  * Target @Target} meta-annotation, compilers are required to implement
41  * additional usage restrictions on this annotation type; it is a
42  * compile-time error if a method or constructor declaration is
43  * annotated with a {@code @SafeVarargs} annotation, and either:
44  * <ul>
45  * <li>  the declaration is a fixed arity method or constructor
46  *
47  * <li> the declaration is a variable arity method that is neither
48  * {@code static} nor {@code final} nor {@code private}.
49  *
50  * </ul>
51  *
52  * <p> Compilers are encouraged to issue warnings when this annotation
53  * type is applied to a method or constructor declaration where:
54  *
55  * <ul>
56  *
57  * <li> The variable arity parameter has a reifiable element type,
58  * which includes primitive types, {@code Object}, and {@code String}.
59  * (The unchecked warnings this annotation type suppresses already do
60  * not occur for a reifiable element type.)
61  *
62  * <li> The body of the method or constructor declaration performs
63  * potentially unsafe operations, such as an assignment to an element
64  * of the variable arity parameter's array that generates an unchecked
65  * warning.  Some unsafe operations do not trigger an unchecked
66  * warning.  For example, the aliasing in
67  *
68  * <blockquote><pre>
69  * &#64;SafeVarargs // Not actually safe!
70  * static void m(List&lt;String&gt;... stringLists) {
71  *   Object[] array = stringLists;
72  *   List&lt;Integer&gt; tmpList = Arrays.asList(42);
73  *   array[0] = tmpList; // Semantically invalid, but compiles without warnings
74  *   String s = stringLists[0].get(0); // Oh no, ClassCastException at runtime!
75  * }
76  * </pre></blockquote>
77  *
78  * leads to a {@code ClassCastException} at runtime.
79  *
80  * <p>Future versions of the platform may mandate compiler errors for
81  * such unsafe operations.
82  *
83  * </ul>
84  *
85  * @since 1.7
86  * @jls 4.7 Reifiable Types
87  * @jls 8.4.1 Formal Parameters
88  * @jls 9.6.4.7 @SafeVarargs
89  */
90 @Documented
91 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
92 @Target({ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR, ElementType.METHOD})
93 public @interface SafeVarargs {}
94