JDK-8245620 : Improve Annotation.annotationType() documentation
  • Type: Enhancement
  • Component: core-libs
  • Sub-Component: java.lang
  • Affected Version: 14
  • Priority: P4
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Won't Fix
  • Submitted: 2020-05-18
  • Updated: 2020-07-02
  • Resolved: 2020-06-12
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JDK 16
16Fixed
Related Reports
Relates :  
JDK-8162817 - Annotation toString output not reusable for source input
Description
A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
It appears for a java.lang.annotation.Annotation x, one is supposed to call x.annotationType() instead of x.getClass().
However, currently this is not obvious from the Annotation documentation, neither are the reasons for this explained.

Expected would be that:
1. The class documentation of Annotation mentioned that one should prefer annotationType() to getClass()
2. The annotationType() doc explained why this method should be preferred to calling getClass()
Comments
Changeset: b81f2f1f Author: Joe Darcy <darcy@openjdk.org> Date: 2020-06-11 15:55:19 +0000 URL: https://git.openjdk.java.net/lanai/commit/b81f2f1f
02-07-2020
Changeset: b81f2f1f Author: Joe Darcy <darcy@openjdk.org> Date: 2020-06-11 15:55:19 +0000 URL: https://git.openjdk.java.net/amber/commit/b81f2f1f
02-07-2020
Fixed in JDK 16.
12-06-2020
Review thread: https://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/core-libs-dev/2020-June/067173.html
11-06-2020
Javadoc of annotationType() is at https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/14/docs/api/java.base/java/lang/annotation/Annotation.html#annotationType()
22-05-2020