Field getGenericType() method in Java with Examples

The getGenericType() method of java.lang.reflect.Field used to return a Type object representing the declared type of this Field object. The returned type object can be one of the implementations of Type’s subinterfaces: GenericArrayType, ParameterizedType, WildcardType, TypeVariable, Class. If the Type of Field object is a parameterized type, the returned Type object must accurately reflect the actual type parameters used in the source code and if the type of the underlying field is a type variable or a parameterized type, it is created. Otherwise, it is resolved. Syntax:

public Type getGenericType()

Parameters: This method accepts nothing. Return: This method returns a Type object that represents the declared type for the field represented by this Field object. Exception: This method returns the following Exceptions:

• GenericSignatureFormatError: if the generic field signature does not conform to the format specified in The Java™ Virtual Machine Specification.
• TypeNotPresentException: if the generic type signature of the underlying field refers to a non-existent type declaration.
• MalformedParameterizedTypeException: if the generic signature of the underlying field refers to a parameterized type that cannot be instantiated for any reason.

Below programs illustrate getGenericType() method: Program 1:

Java

// Java program to illustrate
// getGenericType() method

import java.lang.reflect.Field;
import java.lang.reflect.Type;

public class GFG {

    // initialize field
    private static int number;

    public static void main(String[] args)
        throws NoSuchFieldException
    {
        // get Field object
        Field field
            = GFG.class
                  .getDeclaredField("number");

        // apply getGenericType() method
        Type type = field.getGenericType();

        // print Results
        System.out.println(
            "Type class: "
            + type.getClass());
        System.out.println(
            "Type name: "
            + type.getTypeName());
    }
}

Output:

Type class: class java.lang.Class
Type name: int

Program 2:

Java

// Java program to illustrate
// getGenericType() method

import java.lang.reflect.Field;
import java.lang.reflect.Type;

public class GFG {

    // initialize field
    final static String value = "Geeks";

    public static void main(String[] args)
        throws NoSuchFieldException
    {

        // get Field object
        Field field
            = GFG.class
                  .getDeclaredField("value");

        // apply getGenericType() method
        Type type = field.getGenericType();

        // print Results
        System.out.println(
            "Type class: "
            + type.getClass());
        System.out.println(
            "Type name: "
            + type.getTypeName());
    }
}

Output:

Type class: class java.lang.Class
Type name: java.lang.String

References: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/reflect/Field.html#getGenericType–