/*

  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");

  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.

  * You may obtain a copy of the License at

  *

  *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

  *

  * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software

  * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,

  * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.

  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and

  * limitations under the License.

  */

 package org.apache.commons.classscan;

 import java.util.Collection;

 import org.apache.commons.classscan.model.MetaClass;

 /**

  * Information about a code location. A code location may be a file folder, or a

  * jar, or other packaged location

  */

 public interface MetaClassPathElement extends HasName {

     /**

      * Get metadata about the Classes which are available in the code location.

      * 

      * @return A read-only collection of class information

      */

     Collection<? extends MetaClass> getMetaClasses();

     /**

      * Get metadata about a Class which is available in the code location.

      * 

      * @param className

      *            The canonical className of the desired Class

      * @return The class information; or null, if class of given name not

      *         available at this location

      */

     MetaClass getMetaClass(String className);

     /**

      * Get the name of the location of the jar or folder.  This name can be used as the parameter

      * to the {@link java.net.URI URI} or {@link java.net.URL URL} constructor.

      */

     String getName();

 }