OnJava8-Examples/generics/SelfBounding.java

// generics/SelfBounding.java
// <20>2016 MindView LLC: see Copyright.txt
// We make no guarantees that this code is fit for any purpose.
// Visit http://mindviewinc.com/Books/OnJava/ for more book information.

class SelfBounded<T extends SelfBounded<T>> {
  T element;
  SelfBounded<T> set(T arg) {
    element = arg;
    return this;
  }
  T get() { return element; }
}

class A extends SelfBounded<A> {}
class B extends SelfBounded<A> {} // Also OK

class C extends SelfBounded<C> {
  C setAndGet(C arg) { set(arg); return get(); }
}

class D {}
// Can't do this:
// class E extends SelfBounded<D> {}
// Compile error: Type parameter D is not within its bound

// Alas, you can do this, so you cannot force the idiom:
class F extends SelfBounded {}

public class SelfBounding {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    A a = new A();
    a.set(new A());
    a = a.set(new A()).get();
    a = a.get();
    C c = new C();
    c = c.setAndGet(new C());
  }
}
/* Output: (None) */