/*

 * Copyright 1994-2005 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

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

 *

 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it

 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as

 * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Sun designates this

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

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

 *

 * 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).

 *

 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version

 * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,

 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.

 *

 * Please contact Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara,

 * CA 95054 USA or visit www.sun.com if you need additional information or

 * have any questions.

 */

package java.lang;

/**

 * The <code>Runnable</code> interface should be implemented by any

 * class whose instances are intended to be executed by a thread. The

 * class must define a method of no arguments called <code>run</code>.

 * <p>

 * This interface is designed to provide a common protocol for objects that

 * wish to execute code while they are active. For example,

 * <code>Runnable</code> is implemented by class <code>Thread</code>.

 * Being active simply means that a thread has been started and has not

 * yet been stopped.

 * <p>

 * In addition, <code>Runnable</code> provides the means for a class to be

 * active while not subclassing <code>Thread</code>. A class that implements

 * <code>Runnable</code> can run without subclassing <code>Thread</code>

 * by instantiating a <code>Thread</code> instance and passing itself in

 * as the target.  In most cases, the <code>Runnable</code> interface should

 * be used if you are only planning to override the <code>run()</code>

 * method and no other <code>Thread</code> methods.

 * This is important because classes should not be subclassed

 * unless the programmer intends on modifying or enhancing the fundamental

 * behavior of the class.

 *

 * @author  Arthur van Hoff

 * @see     java.lang.Thread

 * @see     java.util.concurrent.Callable

 * @since   JDK1.0

 */

public

interface Runnable {

    /**

     * When an object implementing interface <code>Runnable</code> is used

     * to create a thread, starting the thread causes the object's

     * <code>run</code> method to be called in that separately executing

     * thread.

     * <p>

     * The general contract of the method <code>run</code> is that it may

     * take any action whatsoever.

     *

     * @see     java.lang.Thread#run()

     */

    public abstract void run();

}