Copyright (c) 2000, 2013 IBM Corporation and others.
This program and the accompanying materials
are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0
which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
https://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0/
SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
Contributors:
    IBM Corporation - initial API and implementation
/*******************************************************************************
 * Copyright (c) 2000, 2013 IBM Corporation and others.
 *
 * This program and the accompanying materials
 * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0
 * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
 * https://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0/
 *
 * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
 *
 * Contributors:
 *     IBM Corporation - initial API and implementation
 *******************************************************************************/

package org.eclipse.jdt.core.dom;

A variable binding represents either a field of a class or interface, or
a local variable declaration (including formal parameters, local variables,
and exception variables).
See Also:
getDeclaredFields.getDeclaredFields()
Since:
2.0
@noimplement
This interface is not intended to be implemented by clients./**
 * A variable binding represents either a field of a class or interface, or
 * a local variable declaration (including formal parameters, local variables,
 * and exception variables).
 *
 * @see ITypeBinding#getDeclaredFields()
 * @since 2.0
 * @noimplement This interface is not intended to be implemented by clients.
 */
public interface IVariableBinding extends IBinding {

	
Returns whether this binding is for a field.
Note that this method returns true for constants,
including enum constants. This method returns false
for local variables.
Returns:
true if this is the binding for a field,
   and false otherwise/**
	 * Returns whether this binding is for a field.
	 * Note that this method returns <code>true</code> for constants,
	 * including enum constants. This method returns <code>false</code>
	 * for local variables.
	 *
	 * @return <code>true</code> if this is the binding for a field,
	 *    and <code>false</code> otherwise
	 */
	public boolean isField();

	
Returns whether this binding is for an enum constant.
Note that this method returns false for local variables
and for fields other than enum constants.
Returns:
true if this is the binding for an enum constant,
   and false otherwise
Since:
3.1/**
	 * Returns whether this binding is for an enum constant.
	 * Note that this method returns <code>false</code> for local variables
	 * and for fields other than enum constants.
	 *
	 * @return <code>true</code> if this is the binding for an enum constant,
	 *    and <code>false</code> otherwise
	 * @since 3.1
	 */
	public boolean isEnumConstant();

	
Returns whether this binding corresponds to a parameter.
Returns:
true if this is the binding for a parameter,
   and false otherwise
Since:
3.2/**
	 * Returns whether this binding corresponds to a parameter.
	 *
	 * @return <code>true</code> if this is the binding for a parameter,
	 *    and <code>false</code> otherwise
	 * @since 3.2
	 */
	public boolean isParameter();

	
Returns the name of the field or local variable declared in this binding.
The name is always a simple identifier.
Returns:
the name of this field or local variable/**
	 * Returns the name of the field or local variable declared in this binding.
	 * The name is always a simple identifier.
	 *
	 * @return the name of this field or local variable
	 */
	@Override
	public String getName();

	
Returns the type binding representing the class or interface
that declares this field.

The declaring class of a field is the class or interface of which it is
a member. Local variables have no declaring class. The field length of an
array type has no declaring class.

Returns:
the binding of the class or interface that declares this field,
  or null if none/**
	 * Returns the type binding representing the class or interface
	 * that declares this field.
	 * <p>
	 * The declaring class of a field is the class or interface of which it is
	 * a member. Local variables have no declaring class. The field length of an
	 * array type has no declaring class.
	 * </p>
	 *
	 * @return the binding of the class or interface that declares this field,
	 *   or <code>null</code> if none
	 */
	public ITypeBinding getDeclaringClass();

	
Returns the binding for the type of this field or local variable.
Returns:
the binding for the type of this field or local variable/**
	 * Returns the binding for the type of this field or local variable.
	 *
	 * @return the binding for the type of this field or local variable
	 */
	public ITypeBinding getType();

	
Returns a small integer variable id for this variable binding.

Local variables inside methods: Local variables (and parameters)
declared within a single method are assigned ascending ids in normal
code reading order; var1.getVariableId()<var2.getVariableId() means that var1 is
declared before var2.


Local variables outside methods: Local variables declared in a
type's static initializers (or initializer expressions of static fields)
are assigned ascending ids in normal code reading order. Local variables
declared in a type's instance initializers (or initializer expressions
of non-static fields) are assigned ascending ids in normal code reading
order. These ids are useful when checking definite assignment for
static initializers (JLS 16.7) and instance initializers (JLS 16.8),
respectively.


Fields: Fields declared as members of a type are assigned
ascending ids in normal code reading order;
field1.getVariableId()<field2.getVariableId() means that field1 is declared before
field2.

Returns:
a small non-negative variable id/**
	 * Returns a small integer variable id for this variable binding.
	 * <p>
	 * <b>Local variables inside methods:</b> Local variables (and parameters)
	 * declared within a single method are assigned ascending ids in normal
	 * code reading order; var1.getVariableId()&lt;var2.getVariableId() means that var1 is
	 * declared before var2.
	 * </p>
	 * <p>
	 * <b>Local variables outside methods:</b> Local variables declared in a
	 * type's static initializers (or initializer expressions of static fields)
	 * are assigned ascending ids in normal code reading order. Local variables
	 * declared in a type's instance initializers (or initializer expressions
	 * of non-static fields) are assigned ascending ids in normal code reading
	 * order. These ids are useful when checking definite assignment for
	 * static initializers (JLS 16.7) and instance initializers (JLS 16.8),
	 * respectively.
	 * </p>
	 * <p>
	 * <b>Fields:</b> Fields declared as members of a type are assigned
	 * ascending ids in normal code reading order;
	 * field1.getVariableId()&lt;field2.getVariableId() means that field1 is declared before
	 * field2.
	 * </p>
	 *
	 * @return a small non-negative variable id
	 */
	public int getVariableId();

	
Returns this binding's constant value if it has one.
Some variables may have a value computed at compile-time. If the type of
the value is a primitive type, the result is the boxed equivalent (i.e.,
int returned as an Integer). If the type of the value is
String, the result is the string itself. If the variable has
no compile-time computed value, the result is null.
(Note: compile-time constant expressions cannot denote null;
JLS2 15.28.). The result is always null for enum constants.
Returns:
the constant value, or null if none
Since:
3.0/**
	 * Returns this binding's constant value if it has one.
	 * Some variables may have a value computed at compile-time. If the type of
	 * the value is a primitive type, the result is the boxed equivalent (i.e.,
	 * int returned as an <code>Integer</code>). If the type of the value is
	 * <code>String</code>, the result is the string itself. If the variable has
	 * no compile-time computed value, the result is <code>null</code>.
	 * (Note: compile-time constant expressions cannot denote <code>null</code>;
	 * JLS2 15.28.). The result is always <code>null</code> for enum constants.
	 *
	 * @return the constant value, or <code>null</code> if none
	 * @since 3.0
	 */
	public Object getConstantValue();

	
Returns the method binding representing the method containing the scope
in which this local variable is declared.

The declaring method of a method formal parameter is the method itself.
For a local variable declared somewhere within the body of a method,
the declaring method is the enclosing method. When local or anonymous
classes are involved, the declaring method is the innermost such method.
There is no declaring method for a field, or for a local variable
declared in a static or instance initializer; this method returns
null in those cases.

Returns:
the binding of the method or constructor that declares this
local variable, or null if none
Since:
3.1/**
	 * Returns the method binding representing the method containing the scope
	 * in which this local variable is declared.
	 * <p>
	 * The declaring method of a method formal parameter is the method itself.
	 * For a local variable declared somewhere within the body of a method,
	 * the declaring method is the enclosing method. When local or anonymous
	 * classes are involved, the declaring method is the innermost such method.
	 * There is no declaring method for a field, or for a local variable
	 * declared in a static or instance initializer; this method returns
	 * <code>null</code> in those cases.
	 * </p>
	 *
	 * @return the binding of the method or constructor that declares this
	 * local variable, or <code>null</code> if none
	 * @since 3.1
	 */
	public IMethodBinding getDeclaringMethod();

	
Returns the binding for the variable declaration corresponding to this
variable binding. For a binding for a field declaration in an instance
of a generic type, this method returns the binding for the corresponding
field declaration in the generic type. For other variable bindings,
including all ones for local variables and parameters, this method
returns the same binding.
Returns:
the variable binding for the originating declaration
Since:
3.1/**
	 * Returns the binding for the variable declaration corresponding to this
	 * variable binding. For a binding for a field declaration in an instance
	 * of a generic type, this method returns the binding for the corresponding
	 * field declaration in the generic type. For other variable bindings,
	 * including all ones for local variables and parameters, this method
	 * returns the same binding.
	 *
	 * @return the variable binding for the originating declaration
	 * @since 3.1
	 */
	public IVariableBinding getVariableDeclaration();

	
Returns whether this binding corresponds to an effectively final local
variable (JLS8 4.12.4). A variable is said to be effectively final if
it is not final and never assigned to after its initialization.
Returns:
true if this is an effectively final local variable
				and false otherwise
Since:
3.10/**
	 * Returns whether this binding corresponds to an effectively final local
	 * variable (JLS8 4.12.4). A variable is said to be effectively final if
	 * it is not final and never assigned to after its initialization.
	 *
	 * @return <code>true</code> if this is an effectively final local variable
	 * 				and <code>false</code> otherwise
	 * @since 3.10
	 */
	public boolean isEffectivelyFinal();
}