How to extend Java annotation?

Question

In my project I use pre-defined annotation @With:

@With(Secure.class) public class Test { //.... 

The source code of @With:

@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME) @Target(ElementType.TYPE) public @interface With {       Class<?>[] value() default {}; } 

I want to write custom annotation @Secure, which will have the same effect as @With(Secure.class). How to do that?

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What if I do like this? Will it work?

@With(Secure.class) @Target({ElementType.TYPE}) @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME) public @interface Secure {  } 

Answer 1

As piotrek pointed out, you cannot extend Annotations in the sense of inheritance. Still, you can create Annotations that aggregate others:

@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME) @Target({ElementType.TYPE}) public @interface SuperAnnotation {     String value(); }  @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME) @Target({ElementType.TYPE}) public @interface SubAnnotation {     SuperAnnotation superAnnotation();     String subValue(); } 

Usage:

@SubAnnotation(subValue = "...", superAnnotation = @SuperAnnotation(value = "superValue")) class someClass { ... } 

Answer 2

From Java language specification, Chapter 9.6 Annotation Types:

No extends clause is permitted. (Annotation types implicitly extend annotation.Annotation.)

So, you can not extend an Annotation. you need to use some other mechanism or create a code that recognize and process your own annotation. Spring allows you to group other Spring's annotation in your own custom annotations. but still, no extending.