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 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.

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 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided

 * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.

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 * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT

 * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or

 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License

 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that

 * accompanied this code).

 *

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package java.util.prefs;

import java.util.*;

/**

 * A factory object that generates Preferences objects.  Providers of

 * new {@link Preferences} implementations should provide corresponding

 * {@code PreferencesFactory} implementations so that the new

 * {@code Preferences} implementation can be installed in place of the

 * platform-specific default implementation.

 *

 * <p><strong>This class is for {@code Preferences} implementers only.

 * Normal users of the {@code Preferences} facility should have no need to

 * consult this documentation.</strong>

 *

 * @author  Josh Bloch

 * @see     Preferences

 * @since   1.4

 */

public interface PreferencesFactory {

    /**

     * Returns the system root preference node.  (Multiple calls on this

     * method will return the same object reference.)

     * @return the system root preference node

     */

    Preferences systemRoot();

    /**

     * Returns the user root preference node corresponding to the calling

     * user.  In a server, the returned value will typically depend on

     * some implicit client-context.

     * @return the user root preference node corresponding to the calling

     * user

     */

    Preferences userRoot();

}