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25 
26 package jdk.internal.vm.annotation;
27 
28 import java.lang.annotation.*;
29 
30 // Android-removed: HotSpot-specific implementation notes not relevant for Android.
31 /**
32  * A field may be annotated as stable if all of its component variables
33  * changes value at most once.
34  * A field's value counts as its component value.
35  * If the field is typed as an array, then all the non-null components
36  * of the array, of depth up to the rank of the field's array type,
37  * also count as component values.
38  * By extension, any variable (either array or field) which has annotated
39  * as stable is called a stable variable, and its non-null or non-zero
40  * value is called a stable value.
41  * <p>
42  * Since all fields begin with a default value of null for references
43  * (resp., zero for primitives), it follows that this annotation indicates
44  * that the first non-null (resp., non-zero) value stored in the field
45  * will never be changed.
46  * <p>
47  * If the field is not of an array type, there are no array elements,
48  * then the value indicated as stable is simply the value of the field.
49  * If the dynamic type of the field value is an array but the static type
50  * is not, the components of the array are <em>not</em> regarded as stable.
51  * <p>
52  * If the field is an array type, then both the field value and
53  * all the components of the field value (if the field value is non-null)
54  * are indicated to be stable.
55  * If the field type is an array type with rank {@code N > 1},
56  * then each component of the field value (if the field value is non-null),
57  * is regarded as a stable array of rank {@code N-1}.
58  * <p>
59  * Fields which are declared {@code final} may also be annotated as stable.
60  * Since final fields already behave as stable values, such an annotation
61  * conveys no additional information regarding change of the field's value, but
62  * still conveys information regarding change of additional components values if
63  * the type of the field is an array type (as described above).
64  * <p>
65  * It is (currently) undefined what happens if a field annotated as stable
66  * is given a third value (by explicitly updating a stable field, a component of
67  * a stable array, or a final stable field via reflection or other means).
68  *
69  * @implNote
70  * This annotation only takes effect for fields of classes loaded by the boot
71  * loader.  Annoations on fields of classes loaded outside of the boot loader
72  * are ignored.
73  */
74 @Target(ElementType.FIELD)
75 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
76 public @interface Stable {
77 }
78