Package org.codehaus.groovy.ast

Class ClassHelper

java.lang.Object
org.codehaus.groovy.ast.ClassHelper
public class ClassHelper extends Object
Helper for ClassNode creation and type management. Contains cached instances for all commonly used Groovy and Java types, plus factory methods for creating ClassNodes efficiently.

Provides:

  • Predefined ClassNode constants for primitive types, wrapper types, and common classes
  • Caching mechanisms to avoid creating duplicate ClassNode instances for the same class
  • Factory methods for constructing ClassNodes from Java Class or String names
  • Type utility methods for wrapper/unwrapper conversions and type comparisons
  • Dynamic type representation for Groovy's dynamic typing system

Performance Note: ClassNodes are cached by reference for all predefined types. Using make(Class) or make(String) returns cached instances when available, providing O(1) lookup. Use makeWithoutCaching() only when a unique instance is needed.

Type Categories:

  • Cached types: Common Java types (Object, String, Number, etc.) and all primitive types. These are pre-created once and reused for performance.
  • Uncached types: Collection types (Map, List, Set) created without caching.
See Also:

  • Field Details

    • TUPLE_CLASSES

      public static final Class[] TUPLE_CLASSES

    • OBJECT_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode OBJECT_TYPE

    • CLOSURE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode CLOSURE_TYPE

    • GSTRING_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode GSTRING_TYPE

    • RANGE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode RANGE_TYPE

    • PATTERN_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode PATTERN_TYPE

    • STRING_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode STRING_TYPE

    • SCRIPT_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode SCRIPT_TYPE

    • BINDING_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode BINDING_TYPE

    • THROWABLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode THROWABLE_TYPE

    • boolean_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode boolean_TYPE

    • char_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode char_TYPE

    • byte_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode byte_TYPE

    • int_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode int_TYPE

    • long_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode long_TYPE

    • short_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode short_TYPE

    • double_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode double_TYPE

    • float_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode float_TYPE

    • Byte_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Byte_TYPE

    • Short_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Short_TYPE

    • Integer_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Integer_TYPE

    • Long_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Long_TYPE

    • Character_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Character_TYPE

    • Float_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Float_TYPE

    • Double_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Double_TYPE

    • Boolean_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Boolean_TYPE

    • BigInteger_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode BigInteger_TYPE

    • BigDecimal_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode BigDecimal_TYPE

    • Number_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Number_TYPE

    • VOID_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode VOID_TYPE

    • void_WRAPPER_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode void_WRAPPER_TYPE

    • METACLASS_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode METACLASS_TYPE

    • Iterator_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Iterator_TYPE

    • Annotation_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode Annotation_TYPE

    • ELEMENT_TYPE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode ELEMENT_TYPE_TYPE

    • AUTOCLOSEABLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode AUTOCLOSEABLE_TYPE

    • CLONEABLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode CLONEABLE_TYPE

    • SERIALIZABLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode SERIALIZABLE_TYPE

    • SERIALIZEDLAMBDA_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode SERIALIZEDLAMBDA_TYPE

    • SEALED_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode SEALED_TYPE

    • OVERRIDE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode OVERRIDE_TYPE

    • DEPRECATED_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode DEPRECATED_TYPE

    • MAP_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode MAP_TYPE

    • SET_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode SET_TYPE

    • LIST_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode LIST_TYPE

    • Enum_Type

      public static final ClassNode Enum_Type

    • CLASS_Type

      public static final ClassNode CLASS_Type

    • TUPLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode TUPLE_TYPE

    • STREAM_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode STREAM_TYPE

    • ITERABLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode ITERABLE_TYPE

    • REFERENCE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode REFERENCE_TYPE

    • COLLECTION_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode COLLECTION_TYPE

    • COMPARABLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode COMPARABLE_TYPE

    • GROOVY_OBJECT_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode GROOVY_OBJECT_TYPE

    • GENERATED_LAMBDA_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode GENERATED_LAMBDA_TYPE

    • GENERATED_CLOSURE_Type

      public static final ClassNode GENERATED_CLOSURE_Type

    • GROOVY_INTERCEPTABLE_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode GROOVY_INTERCEPTABLE_TYPE

    • GROOVY_OBJECT_SUPPORT_TYPE

      public static final ClassNode GROOVY_OBJECT_SUPPORT_TYPE

    • DYNAMIC_TYPE

      @Deprecated public static final ClassNode DYNAMIC_TYPE
      Deprecated.

    • EMPTY_TYPE_ARRAY

      protected static final ClassNode[] EMPTY_TYPE_ARRAY

    • OBJECT

      public static final String OBJECT
      See Also:

  • Constructor Details

    • ClassHelper

      public ClassHelper()

  • Method Details

    • dynamicType

      public static ClassNode dynamicType()
      Provides the dynamic type representation, used by Groovy for dynamic typing when type information is unknown. Returns a ClassNode marked with metadata indicating it represents a dynamic type.
      Returns:
      a ClassNode representing the dynamic type (Object with metadata flag)
      See Also:

    • makeCached

      public static ClassNode makeCached(Class c)
      Creates a cached ClassNode for the given Java class. Cached instances are reused across the compilation unit, reducing memory overhead. If the cache does not contain an entry, a new ClassNode is created, cached, and returned.
      Parameters:
      c - the Java class to create a ClassNode for
      Returns:
      a cached ClassNode for the given class

    • make

      public static ClassNode[] make(Class[] classes)
      Creates an array of ClassNodes using an array of Java classes, using caching where available. Each class is converted to a ClassNode via make(Class).
      Parameters:
      classes - the Java classes to convert to ClassNodes
      Returns:
      an array of ClassNodes corresponding to the input classes, preserving order
      See Also:

    • make

      public static ClassNode make(Class c)
      Creates a ClassNode for the given Java class, using caching when available. Predefined types (like Integer, String, etc.) return cached instances. For first-time requests of non-predefined types, a new ClassNode is created via makeWithoutCaching(Class).
      Parameters:
      c - the Java class to create a ClassNode for
      Returns:
      a ClassNode representing the given class
      See Also:

    • make

      public static ClassNode make(Class c, boolean includeGenerics)
      Creates a ClassNode for the given Java class, optionally including generic type parameters. Predefined types return cached instances; others are created uncached.
      Parameters:
      c - the Java class to create a ClassNode for
      includeGenerics - whether to include generic type parameters from the class definition
      Returns:
      a ClassNode representing the given class

    • makeWithoutCaching

      public static ClassNode makeWithoutCaching(Class c)
      Creates a new ClassNode for the given Java class without caching. Each call creates a unique ClassNode instance, suitable for cases requiring independent instances.
      Parameters:
      c - the Java class to create a ClassNode for
      Returns:
      a new ClassNode representing the given class (not cached)
      See Also:

    • makeWithoutCaching

      public static ClassNode makeWithoutCaching(Class c, boolean includeGenerics)
      Creates a new ClassNode for the given Java class without caching, optionally including generic types. Always creates a unique instance, even for predefined types.
      Parameters:
      c - the Java class to create a ClassNode for
      includeGenerics - whether to include generic type parameters from the class
      Returns:
      a new ClassNode representing the given class (not cached)

    • makeWithoutCaching

      public static ClassNode makeWithoutCaching(String name)
      Creates a new ClassNode for the given class name without caching. Always creates a unique instance. The ClassNode is set up with Object as superclass. This is typically used for dynamically-created or parsed class names.
      Parameters:
      name - the fully-qualified or simple class name
      Returns:
      a new ClassNode representing the named class (not cached)
      See Also:

    • make

      public static ClassNode make(String name)
      Creates a ClassNode for the given class name, returning cached instances for predefined types. Returns the dynamic type for null or empty names. Checks both primitive names ("int", "boolean") and fully-qualified names ("java.lang.String", "java.util.Map").
      Parameters:
      name - the fully-qualified or simple class name, or null/empty for dynamic type
      Returns:
      a ClassNode for the named class, or the dynamic type if name is null or empty
      See Also:

    • getWrapper

      public static ClassNode getWrapper(ClassNode cn)
      Creates a ClassNode containing the wrapper of a ClassNode of primitive type. Any ClassNode representing a primitive type should be created using the predefined types used in class. The method will check the parameter for known references of ClassNode representing a primitive type. If Reference is found, then a ClassNode will be contained that represents the wrapper class. For example for boolean, the wrapper class is java.lang.Boolean.

      If the parameter is no primitive type, the redirected ClassNode will be returned

      Parameters:
      cn - the ClassNode containing a possible primitive type
      See Also:

    • getUnwrapper

      public static ClassNode getUnwrapper(ClassNode cn)

    • isPrimitiveType

      public static boolean isPrimitiveType(ClassNode cn)
      Test to determine if a ClassNode is a primitive type. Note: this only works for ClassNodes created using a predefined ClassNode
      Parameters:
      cn - the ClassNode containing a possible primitive type
      Returns:
      true if the ClassNode is a primitive type
      See Also:

    • isStaticConstantInitializerType

      public static boolean isStaticConstantInitializerType(ClassNode cn)
      Test to determine if a ClassNode is a type belongs to the list of types which are allowed to initialize constants directly in bytecode instead of using <cinit>

      Note: this only works for ClassNodes created using a predefined ClassNode

      Parameters:
      cn - the ClassNode to be tested
      Returns:
      true if the ClassNode is of int, float, long, double or String type
      See Also:

    • isNumberType

      public static boolean isNumberType(ClassNode cn)

    • makeReference

      public static ClassNode makeReference()

    • isCachedType

      public static boolean isCachedType(ClassNode type)

    • isDynamicTyped

      public static boolean isDynamicTyped(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveBoolean

      public static boolean isPrimitiveBoolean(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveChar

      public static boolean isPrimitiveChar(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveByte

      public static boolean isPrimitiveByte(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveInt

      public static boolean isPrimitiveInt(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveLong

      public static boolean isPrimitiveLong(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveShort

      public static boolean isPrimitiveShort(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveDouble

      public static boolean isPrimitiveDouble(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveFloat

      public static boolean isPrimitiveFloat(ClassNode type)

    • isPrimitiveVoid

      public static boolean isPrimitiveVoid(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperBoolean

      public static boolean isWrapperBoolean(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperCharacter

      public static boolean isWrapperCharacter(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperByte

      public static boolean isWrapperByte(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperInteger

      public static boolean isWrapperInteger(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperLong

      public static boolean isWrapperLong(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperShort

      public static boolean isWrapperShort(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperDouble

      public static boolean isWrapperDouble(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperFloat

      public static boolean isWrapperFloat(ClassNode type)

    • isWrapperVoid

      public static boolean isWrapperVoid(ClassNode type)

    • isBigIntegerType

      public static boolean isBigIntegerType(ClassNode type)

    • isBigDecimalType

      public static boolean isBigDecimalType(ClassNode type)

    • isStringType

      public static boolean isStringType(ClassNode type)

    • isGStringType

      public static boolean isGStringType(ClassNode type)

    • isObjectType

      public static boolean isObjectType(ClassNode type)

    • isGroovyObjectType

      public static boolean isGroovyObjectType(ClassNode type)

    • isClassType

      public static boolean isClassType(ClassNode type)

    • isSAMType

      public static boolean isSAMType(ClassNode type)

    • isFunctionalInterface

      public static boolean isFunctionalInterface(ClassNode type)

    • isGeneratedFunction

      public static boolean isGeneratedFunction(ClassNode type)
      Checks if the type is a generated function, i.e. closure or lambda.
      Since:
      3.0.0

    • findSAM

      public static MethodNode findSAM(ClassNode type)
      Returns the single abstract method of a class node, if it is a SAM type, or null otherwise.
      Parameters:
      type - a type for which to search for a single abstract method
      Returns:
      the method node if type is a SAM type, null otherwise

    • getNextSuperClass

      public static ClassNode getNextSuperClass(ClassNode source, ClassNode target)
      Returns a super class or interface for a given class depending on supplied target. If the target is not a super class or interface, then null will be returned. For a non-primitive array type -- if the target is also an array -- returns an array of the component type's super class or interface.