diff -r 2c3cc4b01880 -r c16ac7a2eba4 src/jdk.jfr/share/classes/jdk/jfr/internal/consumer/Parser.java
--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/src/jdk.jfr/share/classes/jdk/jfr/internal/consumer/Parser.java	Wed Oct 30 19:43:52 2019 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2016, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. 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.  Oracle designates this
+ * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
+ * by Oracle 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 Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+package jdk.jfr.internal.consumer;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+/**
+ * Base class for parsing data from a {@link RecordingInput}.
+ */
+abstract class Parser {
+    /**
+     * Parses data from a {@link RecordingInput} and return an object.
+     *
+     * @param input input to read from
+     * @return an object
+     * @throws IOException if operation couldn't be completed due to I/O
+     *         problems
+     */
+    public abstract Object parse(RecordingInput input) throws IOException;
+
+    /**
+     * Skips data that would usually be by parsed the {@code #parse(RecordingInput)} method.
+     *
+     * @param input input to read from
+     * @throws IOException if operation couldn't be completed due to I/O
+     *         problems
+     */
+    public abstract void skip(RecordingInput input) throws IOException;
+}