Java Annotation Types

Java Annotation Types

In this tutorial, we will find out about various sorts of Java annotation with the help of examples.

Java annotation is metadata (data about data) for our program source code. There are a few predefined annotations gave by the Java SE. In addition, we can likewise make custom annotations according to our necessities.

If you do not know what annotations are, visit the Java annotations tutorial.

These annotations can be categorized as:

1. Predefined annotations

@Deprecated
@Override
@SuppressWarnings
@SafeVarargs
@FunctionalInterface

2. Custom annotations

3. Meta-annotations

@Retention
@Documented
@Target
@Inherited
@Repeatable

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Predefined Annotation Types

1. @Deprecated

The@Deprecated annotation is a marker annotation that indicates the element (class, method, field, etc) is deprecated and has been replaced by a newer element.

Its syntax is:

@Deprecated
accessModifier returnType deprecatedMethodName() { ... }

At the point when a program uses the component that has been announced censured, the compiler creates a warning.

We use Javadoc @deprecated tag for archiving the expostulated component.

/**
 * @deprecated
 * why it was deprecated
 */
@Deprecated
accessModifier returnType deprecatedMethodName() { ... }

Example 1: @Deprecated annotation example

class Main {
  /**
   * @deprecated
   * This method is deprecated and has been replaced by newMethod()
   */
  @Deprecated
  public static void deprecatedMethod() { 
    System.out.println("Deprecated method"); 
  } 

  public static void main(String args[]) {
    deprecatedMethod();
  }
}

Output

Deprecated method

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2. @Override

The @Override annotation indicates that a strategy for a subclass supersedes the technique for the superclass with a similar strategy name, return type, and parameter list.

It isn’t mandatory to use @Override while overriding a technique. In any case, if we use it, the compiler gives an error if something isn’t right, (for example, wrong parameter type) while overriding the method.

Example 2: @Override annotation example

class Animal {

  // overridden method
  public void display(){
    System.out.println("I am an animal");
  }
}

class Dog extends Animal {

  // overriding method
  @Override
  public void display(){
    System.out.println("I am a dog");
  }

  public void printMessage(){
    display();
  }
}

class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Dog dog1 = new Dog();
    dog1.printMessage();
  }
}

Output

I am a dog

In this example, by making an object dog1 of Dog class, we can call its method printMessage() which then executes the display() statement.

Since display() is defined in both the classes, the method of subclass Dog overrides the method of superclass Animal. Hence, the display() of the subclass is called.

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3. @SuppressWarnings

As the name recommends, the @SuppressWarnings annotation trains the compiler to smother alerts that are created while the program executes.

We can determine the sort of alerts to be smothered. The alerts that can be stifled are compiler-explicit however there are two classes of warnings: deprecation and unchecked.

To suppress a particular category of warning, we use:

@SuppressWarnings("warningCategory")

For example,

@SuppressWarnings("deprecated")

To suppress multiple categories of warnings, we use:

@SuppressWarnings({"warningCategory1", "warningCategory2"})

For example,

@SuppressWarnings({"deprecated", "unchecked"})

Category deprecated instructs the compiler to suppress warnings when we use a deprecated element.

Category unchecked instructs the compiler to suppress warnings when we use raw types.

And, undefined warnings are ignored. For example,

@SuppressWarnings("someundefinedwarning")

Example 3: @SuppressWarnings annotation example

class Main {
  @Deprecated
  public static void deprecatedMethod() { 
    System.out.println("Deprecated method"); 
  } 
  
  @SuppressWarnings("deprecated")
  public static void main(String args[]) {
    Main depObj = new Main();
    depObj. deprecatedMethod();
  }
}

Output

Deprecated method

Here, deprecatedMethod() has been marked as deprecated and will give compiler warnings when used. By using the @SuppressWarnings(“deprecated”) annotation, we can avoid compiler warnings.

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4. @SafeVarargs

The @SafeVarargs annotation asserts that the explained strategy or constructor doesn’t perform risky procedure on its varargs (variable number of contentions).

We can just use this annotation on techniques or constructors that can’t be superseded. This is on the grounds that the techniques that supersede them may perform hazardous tasks.

Prior to Java 9, we could use this annotation just on last or static strategies since they can’t be overridden. We would now be able to use this annotation for private strategies also.

Example 4: @SafeVarargs annotation example

import java.util.*;

class Main {

  private void displayList(List<String>... lists) {
    for (List<String> list : lists) {
      System.out.println(list);
    }
  }

  public static void main(String args[]) {
    Main obj = new Main();

    List<String> universityList = Arrays.asList("Peshawar University", "virtual University");
    obj.displayList(universityList);

    List<String> programmingLanguages = Arrays.asList("Java", "C");
    obj.displayList(universityList, programmingLanguages);
  }
}

Warnings

Type safety: Potential heap pollution via varargs parameter lists
Type safety: A generic array of List<String> is created for a varargs 
 parameter

Output

Note: Main.java uses unchecked or unsafe operations.
[Peshawar University, Virtual University]
[Peshawar University, Virtual University]
[Java, C]

Here, List … lists specifies a variable-length argument of type List. This means that the method displayList() can have zero or more arguments.

The above program compiles without errors but gives warnings when @SafeVarargs annotation isn’t used.

When we use @SafeVarargs annotation in the above example,

@SafeVarargs
 private void displayList(List<String>... lists) { ... }

We get the same output but without any warnings. Unchecked warnings are also suppressed when we use this annotation.

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5. @FunctionalInterface

Java 8 previously presented this @FunctionalInterface annotation. This annotation shows that the sort statement on which it is used is a functional interface. A functional interface can have just one abstract methods.

Example 5: @FunctionalInterface annotation example

@FunctionalInterface
public interface MyFuncInterface{
  public void firstMethod(); // this is an abstract method
}

If we add another abstract method, let’s say

@FunctionalInterface
public interface MyFuncInterface{
  public void firstMethod(); // this is an abstract method
  public void secondMethod(); // this throws compile error
}

Now, when we run the program, we will get the following warning:

Unexpected @FunctionalInterface annotation
@FunctionalInterface ^ MyFuncInterface is not a functional interface
multiple non-overriding abstract methods found in interface MyFuncInterface

It isn’t compulsory to use @FunctionalInterface annotation. The compiler will consider any interface that meets the useful interface definition as a functional interface.

We use this annotation to ensure that the functional interface has just one abstract method.

However, it can have quite a few default and static strategies since they have an execution.

@FunctionalInterface
public interface MyFuncInterface{
  public void firstMethod(); // this is an abstract method
  default void secondMethod() { ... } 
  default void thirdMethod() { ... } 
}

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Custom Annotations

It is also possible to create our own custom annotations.

Its syntax is:

[Access Specifier] @interface<AnnotationName> {         
  DataType <Method Name>() [default value];
}

Here is what you need to know about custom annotation:

• Annotations can be created by using @interface followed by the annotation name.
• The annotation can have elements that look like methods but they do not have an implementation.
• The default value is optional. The parameters cannot have a null value.
• The return type of the method can be primitive, enum, string, class name, or array of these types.

Example 6: Custom annotation example

@interface MyCustomAnnotation {
  String value() default "default value";
}

class Main {
  @MyCustomAnnotation(value = "worldofitech")
  public void method1() {
    System.out.println("Test method 1");
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    Main obj = new Main();
    obj.method1();
  }
}

Output

Test method 1

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Meta Annotations

Meta-annotations are annotations that are applied to other annotations.

1. @Retention

The @Retention annotation specifies the level up to which the annotation will be available.

Its syntax is:

@Retention(RetentionPolicy)

There are 3 types of retention policies:

• RetentionPolicy.SOURCE – The annotation is available only at the source level and is ignored by the compiler.
• RetentionPolicy.CLASS – The annotation is available to the compiler at compile-time, but is ignored by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
• RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME – The annotation is available to the JVM.

For example,

@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
public @interface MyCustomAnnotation{ ... }

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2. @Documented

By default, custom annotations are not included in the official Java documentation. To include our annotation in the Javadoc documentation, we use the @Documented annotation.

For example,

@Documented
public @interface MyCustomAnnotation{ ... }

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3. @Target

We can restrict an annotation to be applied to specific targets using the @Target annotation.

Its syntax is:

@Target(ElementType)

The ElementType can have one of the following types:

Element Type	Target
ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE	Annotation type
ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR	Constructors
ElementType.FIELD	Fields
ElementType.LOCAL_VARIABLE	Local variables
ElementType.METHOD	Methods
ElementType.PACKAGE	Package
ElementType.PARAMETER	Parameter
ElementType.TYPE	Any element of class

For example,

@Target(ElementType.METHOD)
public @interface MyCustomAnnotation{ ... }

In this example, we have restricted the use of this annotation to methods only.

Note: If the target type is not defined, the annotation can be used for any element.

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4. @Inherited

As a matter of course, an annotation type can’t be acquired from a superclass. Be that as it may, if we have to acquire an explanation from a superclass to a subclass, we use the @Inherited annotation.

Its syntax is:

@Inherited

For example,

@Inherited
public @interface MyCustomAnnotation { ... }

@MyCustomAnnotation
public class ParentClass{ ... }

public class ChildClass extends ParentClass { ... }

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5. @Repeatable

An annotation that has been marked by @Repeatable can be applied multiple times to the same declaration.

@Repeatable(Universities.class)
public @interface University {
  String name();
}

The value defined in the @Repeatable annotation is the container annotation. The container annotation has a variable value of array type of the above repeatable annotation. Here, Universities are the containing annotation type.

public @interface Universities {
  University[] value();
}

Now, the @University annotation can be used multiple times on the same declaration.

@University(name = "PU")
@University(name = "VU")
private String uniName;

If we need to retrieve the annotation data, we can use the Reflection API.

To retrieve annotation values, we use getAnnotationsByType() or getAnnotations() method defined in the Reflection API.

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