package java.lang.annotation;

/**
 * Annotation retention policy. The constants of this enumerated type describe the various policies
 * for retaining annotations. They are used in conjunction with the {@link Retention}
 * meta-annotation type to specify how long annotations are to be retained.
 */
public enum RetentionPolicy {

    /**
     * Annotations are to be recorded in the class file by the compiler but need not be retained by the
     * VM at run time. This is the default behavior.
     */
    CLASS,
    /**
     * Annotations are to be recorded in the class file by the compiler and retained by the VM at run
     * time, so they may be read reflectively.
     *
     * @see java.lang.reflect.AnnotatedElement
     */
    RUNTIME,
    /**
     * Annotations are to be discarded by the compiler.
     */
    SOURCE
}