001    /*
002     * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
003     * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
004     * You may obtain a copy of the License at
005     *
006     *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
007     *
008     * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
009     * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
010     * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
011     * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
012     * limitations under the License.
013     */
014    package org.apache.commons.classscan;
015    
016    import java.util.Collection;
017    
018    import org.apache.commons.classscan.model.MetaClass;
019    
020    /**
021     * Information about a code location. A code location may be a file folder, or a
022     * jar, or other packaged location
023     */
024    public interface MetaClassPathElement extends HasName {
025        /**
026         * Get metadata about the Classes which are available in the code location.
027         * 
028         * @return A read-only collection of class information
029         */
030        Collection<? extends MetaClass> getMetaClasses();
031    
032        /**
033         * Get metadata about a Class which is available in the code location.
034         * 
035         * @param className
036         *            The canonical className of the desired Class
037         * @return The class information; or null, if class of given name not
038         *         available at this location
039         */
040        MetaClass getMetaClass(String className);
041    
042        /**
043         * Get the name of the location of the jar or folder.  This name can be used as the parameter
044         * to the {@link java.net.URI URI} or {@link java.net.URL URL} constructor.
045         */
046        String getName();
047    }