/*
 * Copyright (C) 2010 Google, Inc.
 *
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */

package com.google.inject.persist.finder;

import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;
import java.util.Collection;

/**
 * Marks a method stub as a dynamic finder. The method is intercepted and replaced with the
 * specified JPAQL query. Provides result auto-boxing and automatic parameter binding.
 *
 * @author Dhanji R. Prasanna (dhanji@gmail.com)
 */
@Target(ElementType.METHOD)
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
public @interface Finder {
  /**
   * Returns the configured named query's name. Specify a named query's name here. This name is
   * typically specified in your JPA configuration.
   */
  String namedQuery() default "";

  /** Returns the configured query string. Directly specify a JPAQL query here. */
  String query() default "";

  /**
   * Returns the configured autoboxing collection class. Use this clause to specify a collection
   * impl to autobox result lists into. The impl must have a default no-arg constructor and be a
   * subclass of {@code java.util.Collection}.
   */
  Class<? extends Collection> returnAs() default Collection.class;
}
