Elements (Java Platform SE 8 )
Keywords: javax.lang.model.util.Elements interface
Date: 2026-03-29

compact3
javax.lang.model.util

## Interface Elements

-     public interface Elements

  Utility methods for operating on program elements.

  Compatibility Note: Methods may be added to this interface in future releases of the platform.

  Since:
    1.6
  See Also:
    `ProcessingEnvironment.getElementUtils()`

- - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `List<? extends AnnotationMirror>` | `getAllAnnotationMirrors(Element e)` Returns all annotations present on an element, whether directly present or present via inheritance.
    `List<? extends Element>` | `getAllMembers(TypeElement type)` Returns all members of a type element, whether inherited or declared directly.
    `Name` | `getBinaryName(TypeElement type)` Returns the binary name of a type element.
    `String` | `getConstantExpression(Object value)` Returns the text of a constant expression representing a primitive value or a string.
    `String` | `getDocComment(Element e)` Returns the text of the documentation ("Javadoc") comment of an element.
    `Map<? extends ExecutableElement,? extends AnnotationValue>` | `getElementValuesWithDefaults(AnnotationMirror a)` Returns the values of an annotation's elements, including defaults.
    `Name` | `getName(CharSequence cs)` Return a name with the same sequence of characters as the argument.
    `PackageElement` | `getPackageElement(CharSequence name)` Returns a package given its fully qualified name.
    `PackageElement` | `getPackageOf(Element type)` Returns the package of an element.
    `TypeElement` | `getTypeElement(CharSequence name)` Returns a type element given its canonical name.
    `boolean` | `hides(Element hider, Element hidden)` Tests whether one type, method, or field hides another.
    `boolean` | `isDeprecated(Element e)` Returns `true` if the element is deprecated, `false` otherwise.
    `boolean` | `isFunctionalInterface(TypeElement type)` Returns `true` if the type element is a functional interface, `false` otherwise.
    `boolean` | `overrides(ExecutableElement overrider, ExecutableElement overridden, TypeElement type)` Tests whether one method, as a member of a given type, overrides another method.
    `void` | `printElements(Writer w, Element... elements)` Prints a representation of the elements to the given writer in the specified order.

- - ### Method Detail

    - #### getPackageElement

          PackageElement getPackageElement(CharSequence name)

      Returns a package given its fully qualified name.
      Parameters:
        `name` - fully qualified package name, or "" for an unnamed package
      Returns:
        the named package, or `null` if it cannot be found

    - #### getTypeElement

          TypeElement getTypeElement(CharSequence name)

      Returns a type element given its canonical name.
      Parameters:
        `name` - the canonical name
      Returns:
        the named type element, or `null` if it cannot be found

    - #### getElementValuesWithDefaults

          Map<? extends ExecutableElement,? extends AnnotationValue> getElementValuesWithDefaults(AnnotationMirror a)

      Returns the values of an annotation's elements, including defaults.
      Parameters:
        `a` - annotation to examine
      Returns:
        the values of the annotation's elements, including defaults
      See Also:
        `AnnotationMirror.getElementValues()`

    - #### getDocComment

          String getDocComment(Element e)

      Returns the text of the documentation ("Javadoc") comment of an element.

      A documentation comment of an element is a comment that begins with "`/**`" , ends with a separate "`*/`", and immediately precedes the element, ignoring white space. Therefore, a documentation comment contains at least three"`*`" characters. The text returned for the documentation comment is a processed form of the comment as it appears in source code. The leading "`/**`" and trailing "`*/`" are removed. For lines of the comment starting after the initial "`/**`", leading white space characters are discarded as are any consecutive "`*`" characters appearing after the white space or starting the line. The processed lines are then concatenated together (including line terminators) and returned.

      Parameters:
        `e` - the element being examined
      Returns:
        the documentation comment of the element, or `null` if there is none
      See The Java™ Language Specification:
        3.6 White Space

    - #### isDeprecated

          boolean isDeprecated(Element e)

      Returns `true` if the element is deprecated, `false` otherwise.
      Parameters:
        `e` - the element being examined
      Returns:
        `true` if the element is deprecated, `false` otherwise

    - #### getBinaryName

          Name getBinaryName(TypeElement type)

      Returns the binary name of a type element.
      Parameters:
        `type` - the type element being examined
      Returns:
        the binary name
      See Also:
        `TypeElement.getQualifiedName()`
      See The Java™ Language Specification:
        13.1 The Form of a Binary

    - #### getPackageOf

          PackageElement getPackageOf(Element type)

      Returns the package of an element. The package of a package is itself.
      Parameters:
        `type` - the element being examined
      Returns:
        the package of an element

    - #### getAllMembers

          List<? extends Element> getAllMembers(TypeElement type)

      Returns all members of a type element, whether inherited or declared directly. For a class the result also includes its constructors, but not local or anonymous classes.

      Note that elements of certain kinds can be isolated using methods in `ElementFilter`.

      Parameters:
        `type` - the type being examined
      Returns:
        all members of the type
      See Also:
        `Element.getEnclosedElements()`

    - #### getAllAnnotationMirrors

          List<? extends AnnotationMirror> getAllAnnotationMirrors(Element e)

      Returns all annotations present on an element, whether directly present or present via inheritance.
      Parameters:
        `e` - the element being examined
      Returns:
        all annotations of the element
      See Also:
        `Element.getAnnotationMirrors()`, `AnnotatedConstruct`

    - #### hides

          boolean hides(Element hider,
                        Element hidden)

      Tests whether one type, method, or field hides another.
      Parameters:
        `hider` - the first element
        `hidden` - the second element
      Returns:
        `true` if and only if the first element hides the second

    - #### overrides

          boolean overrides(ExecutableElement overrider,
                            ExecutableElement overridden,
                            TypeElement type)

      Tests whether one method, as a member of a given type, overrides another method. When a non-abstract method overrides an abstract one, the former is also said to implement the latter.

      In the simplest and most typical usage, the value of the `type` parameter will simply be the class or interface directly enclosing `overrider` (the possibly-overriding method). For example, suppose `m1` represents the method `String.hashCode` and `m2` represents `Object.hashCode`. We can then ask whether `m1` overrides `m2` within the class `String` (it does):

      > `assert elements.overrides(m1, m2, elements.getTypeElement("java.lang.String"));`

      A more interesting case can be illustrated by the following example in which a method in type `A` does not override a like-named method in type `B`:

      > `class A { public void m() {} }`
      > `interface B { void m(); }`
      > ...
      > `m1 = ...; // A.m`
      > `m2 = ...; // B.m`
      > `assert ! elements.overrides(m1, m2, elements.getTypeElement("A"));`

      When viewed as a member of a third type `C`, however, the method in `A` does override the one in `B`:

      > `class C extends A implements B {}`
      > ...
      > `assert elements.overrides(m1, m2, elements.getTypeElement("C"));`

      Parameters:
        `overrider` - the first method, possible overrider
        `overridden` - the second method, possibly being overridden
        `type` - the type of which the first method is a member
      Returns:
        `true` if and only if the first method overrides the second
      See The Java™ Language Specification:
        8.4.8 Inheritance, Overriding, and Hiding, 9.4.1 Inheritance and Overriding

    - #### getConstantExpression

          String getConstantExpression(Object value)

      Returns the text of a constant expression representing a primitive value or a string. The text returned is in a form suitable for representing the value in source code.
      Parameters:
        `value` - a primitive value or string
      Returns:
        the text of a constant expression
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the argument is not a primitive value or string
      See Also:
        `VariableElement.getConstantValue()`

    - #### printElements

          void printElements(Writer w,
                             Element... elements)

      Prints a representation of the elements to the given writer in the specified order. The main purpose of this method is for diagnostics. The exact format of the output is not specified and is subject to change.
      Parameters:
        `w` - the writer to print the output to
        `elements` - the elements to print

    - #### getName

          Name getName(CharSequence cs)

      Return a name with the same sequence of characters as the argument.
      Parameters:
        `cs` - the character sequence to return as a name
      Returns:
        a name with the same sequence of characters as the argument

    - #### isFunctionalInterface

          boolean isFunctionalInterface(TypeElement type)

      Returns `true` if the type element is a functional interface, `false` otherwise.
      Parameters:
        `type` - the type element being examined
      Returns:
        `true` if the element is a functional interface, `false` otherwise
      Since:
        1.8
      See The Java™ Language Specification:
        9.8 Functional Interfaces

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