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Java Simplified. Extensions and Useful Constructs for the Java Platform. Codeprimate Elements (a.k.a. cp-elements) is a Java library and micro-framework used to simplify the development of software applications written in Java. Elements packages several APIs into one library in order to address various application concerns and aspects of software design and development collectively and conveniently. Elements is a highly simple, yet robust and proven library built on solid OO principles, software design patterns and best practices to effectively solve common and reoccurring problems in software development.

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/*
 * Copyright 2016 Author or Authors.
 *
 * 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.cp.elements.util.search;

import java.util.Collection;

/**
 * The Searcher interface defines a contract for implementing classes responsible for searching a collection of objects
 * in order to find a specified match or a collection of matches.
 *
 * @author John J. Blum
 * @see java.util.Collection
 * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.AbstractSearcher
 * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.Matcher
 * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.Searchable
 * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.SearcherFactory
 * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.SearchType
 * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.annotation.Searchable
 * @since 1.0.0
 */
@SuppressWarnings("unused")
public interface Searcher {

  /**
   * Gets the Matcher used to match and find the desired element or elements in the collection.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements in the collection.
   * @return the Matcher used to match and find the desired element or elements in the collection during
   * the search operation.
   * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.Matcher
   */
   Matcher getMatcher();

  /**
   * Searches the array of elements in order to find the element or elements matching the criteria defined
   * by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements in the array.
   * @param array the array of elements to search.
   * @return the element in the array matching the search criteria defined by the Matcher.
   * @see #getMatcher()
   * @see #search(java.util.Collection)
   * @see #search(Searchable)
   * @see #search(Object)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object[])
   */
  @SuppressWarnings({ "unchecked", "varargs" })
   E search(E... array);

  /**
   * Searches the Collection of elements in order to find the element or elements matching the criteria defined
   * by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements in the Collection.
   * @param collection the Collection of elements to search.
   * @return the element in the Collection matching the search criteria defined by the Matcher.
   * @see #getMatcher()
   * @see #search(Object[])
   * @see #search(Searchable)
   * @see #search(Object)
   * @see #searchForAll(java.util.Collection)
   * @see java.util.Collection
   */
   E search(Collection collection);

  /**
   * Searches the Searchable object in order to find the element or elements matching the criteria defined
   * by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements to search in the Searchable object.
   * @param searchable the Searchable object to search.
   * @return the element in the Searchable object matching the search criteria defined by the Matcher.
   * @see #getMatcher()
   * @see #search(Object[])
   * @see #search(java.util.Collection)
   * @see #search(Object)
   * @see #searchForAll(Searchable)
   * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.Searchable
   */
   E search(Searchable searchable);

  /**
   * Searches the @Searchable annotated object in order to find the element or elements matching the criteria defined
   * by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements to search in the @Searchable annotated object.
   * @param searchableAnnotatedObject the @Searchable annotated object to search.
   * @return the element in the @Searchable annotated object matching the search criteria defined by the Matcher.
   * @see #getMatcher()
   * @see #search(Object[])
   * @see #search(java.util.Collection)
   * @see #search(Searchable)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object)
   * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.annotation.Searchable
   */
   E search(Object searchableAnnotatedObject);

  /**
   * Searches an array of elements finding all elements in the array matching the criteria defined by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements in the array.
   * @param array the array of elements to search.
   * @return an Iterable object containing all elements in the array that match the criteria defined by the Matcher.
   * @see #getMatcher()
   * @see #search(Object[])
   * @see #searchForAll(java.util.Collection)
   * @see #searchForAll(Searchable)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object)
   * @see java.lang.Iterable
   */
  @SuppressWarnings({ "unchecked", "varargs" })
   Iterable searchForAll(E... array);

  /**
   * Searches a collection of elements finding all elements in the collection matching the criteria defined
   * by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements in the collection.
   * @param collection the collection of elements to search.
   * @return an Iterable object containing all elements in the collection that match the criteria defined
   * by the Matcher.
   * @see #getMatcher()
   * @see #search(java.util.Collection)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object[])
   * @see #searchForAll(Searchable)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object)
   * @see java.lang.Iterable
   * @see java.util.Collection
   */
   Iterable searchForAll(Collection collection);

  /**
   * Searches the Searchable object finding all elements in the Searchable object matching the criteria
   * defined by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements to search in the Searchable object.
   * @param searchable the Searchable object to search.
   * @return an Iterable object containing all elements from the Searchable object that match the criteria
   * defined by the Matcher.
   * @see #getMatcher()
   * @see #search(Searchable)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object[])
   * @see #searchForAll(java.util.Collection)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object)
   * @see java.lang.Iterable
   * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.Searchable
   */
   Iterable searchForAll(Searchable searchable);

  /**
   * Searches the @Searchable annotated object finding all elements in the object matching the criteria
   * defined by the Matcher.
   *
   * @param  the Class type of elements to search in the @Searchable annotated object.
   * @param searchableAnnotatedObject the @Searchable annotated object to search.
   * @return an Iterable object containing all elements from the @Searchable annotated object matching the criteria
   * defined by the Matcher.
   * @throws NullPointerException if the @Searchable annotated object is null!
   * @see #search(Object)
   * @see #searchForAll(Object[])
   * @see #searchForAll(java.util.Collection)
   * @see #searchForAll(Searchable)
   * @see java.lang.Iterable
   * @see org.cp.elements.util.search.annotation.Searchable
   */
   Iterable searchForAll(Object searchableAnnotatedObject);

}