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/*
 * de.unkrig.commons - A general-purpose Java class library
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2011, Arno Unkrig
 * All rights reserved.
 *
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the
 * following conditions are met:
 *
 *    1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
 *       following disclaimer.
 *    2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the
 *       following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
 *    3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote
 *       products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
 *
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
 * INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
 * DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
 * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
 * SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
 * WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 */

package de.unkrig.commons.lang.protocol;

/**
 * An entity that transforms "input objects" into "output objects".
 *
 * IMPORTANT NOTICE:
 * 
 *   When using this type in a variable, parameter or field declaration, never write
 * 
 * Transformer<input-type, output-type>
 * 
 *   , but always:
 * 
 * Transformer<? super input-type, ? extends output-type>
 *
 * @param  The type of the input parameter of {@link #transform(Object)}
 * @param  The return type of {@link #transform(Object)}
 * @see       #transform(Object)
 */
public
interface Transformer {

    /**
     * Transforms a (non-null) object of type {@code I} into a (non-null) object of type {@code O}.
     */
    O
    transform(I in);
}