src/jsr311-api/src/javax/ws/rs/HttpMethod.java

/*
 * The contents of this file are subject to the terms
 * of the Common Development and Distribution License
 * (the "License").  You may not use this file except
 * in compliance with the License.
 * 
 * You can obtain a copy of the license at
 * http://www.opensource.org/licenses/cddl1.php
 * See the License for the specific language governing
 * permissions and limitations under the License.
 */

/*
 * HttpMethod.java
 *
 * Created on October 25, 2006, 2:02 PM
 *
 */

package javax.ws.rs;

import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;

/**
 * Associates the name of a HTTP method with an annotation. A Java method annotated
 * with a runtime annotation that is itself annotated with this annotation will
 * be used to handle HTTP requests of the indicated HTTP method.
 * Such Java methods must satisfy the following constraints:
 * <ul>
 * <li>Methods must have a return type of <code>void</code>,
 * <code>Response</code> or <code>T</code>. Return values will be serialized
 * in the HTTP response. A <code>Response</code> return allows the application
 * to supply additional metadata that will accompany the response entity.
 * <li>Methods may have a single optional parameter
 * that is not annotated. The parameter provides access to
 * the contents of the HTTP request entity body. The parameter will be null if
 * the HTTP request entity body is of zero length.</li>
 * <li>Methods may have zero or more additional method arguments, each of which
 * must be annotated with either {@link javax.ws.rs.PathParam}, 
 * {@link javax.ws.rs.HeaderParam}, {@link javax.ws.rs.CookieParam},
 * {@link javax.ws.rs.MatrixParam}, {@link javax.ws.rs.QueryParam} or
 * {@link javax.ws.rs.core.Context}</li>
 * </ul>
 *
 * @see GET
 * @see POST
 * @see PUT
 * @see DELETE
 * @see HEAD
 * @see javax.ws.rs.core.Context
 * @see PathParam
 * @see QueryParam
 * @see MatrixParam
 * @see HeaderParam
 * @see CookieParam
 */
@Target({ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE})
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@Documented
public @interface HttpMethod {
    
    /**
     * HTTP GET method
     */
    public static final String GET="GET";
    /**
     * HTTP POST method
     */
    public static final String POST="POST"; 
    /**
     * HTTP PUT method
     */
    public static final String PUT="PUT";
    /**
     * HTTP DELETE method
     */
    public static final String DELETE="DELETE";
    /**
     * HTTP HEAD method
     */
    public static final String HEAD="HEAD";
    
    /**
     * Specifies the name of a HTTP method. E.g. "GET".
     */
    String value();        
}