All Superinterfaces:

PropertySource

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractDelegateRule, AbstractRule, AbstractVisitorRule, RuleReference, XPathRule
```
public interface Rule
extends PropertySource
```
This is the basic Rule interface for PMD rules.
Thread safety: PMD will create one instance of a rule per thread. The instances are not shared across different threads. However, a single rule instance is reused for analyzing multiple files.

Field Summary

Fields
Modifier and Type	Field	Description
`static PropertyDescriptor<Optional<Pattern>>`	`VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_REGEX_DESCRIPTOR`	The property descriptor to universally suppress violations with messages matching a regular expression.
`static PropertyDescriptor<Optional<String>>`	`VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_XPATH_DESCRIPTOR`	Name of the property to universally suppress violations on nodes which match a given relative XPath expression.

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Default Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`void`	`addExample(String example)`	Add a single example for this Rule.
`void`	`apply(Node target, RuleContext ctx)`	Process the given node.
`Rule`	`deepCopy()`	Creates a new copy of this rule.
`void`	`end(RuleContext ctx)`	End processing.
`String`	`getDescription()`	Get the description of this Rule.
`List<String>`	`getExamples()`	Get the list of examples for this Rule.
`String`	`getExternalInfoUrl()`	Get a URL for external information about this Rule.
`Language`	`getLanguage()`	Get the Language of this Rule.
`LanguageVersion`	`getMaximumLanguageVersion()`	Get the maximum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies.
`String`	`getMessage()`	Get the message to show when this Rule identifies a violation.
`LanguageVersion`	`getMinimumLanguageVersion()`	Get the minimum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies.
`String`	`getName()`	Get the name of this Rule.
`RulePriority`	`getPriority()`	Get the priority of this Rule.
`String`	`getRuleClass()`	Get the implementation class of this Rule.
`String`	`getRuleSetName()`	Get the name of the RuleSet containing this Rule.
`String`	`getSince()`	Get the version of PMD in which this Rule was added.
`RuleTargetSelector`	`getTargetSelector()`	Returns the object that selects the nodes to which this rule applies.
`default void`	`initialize(LanguageProcessor languageProcessor)`	Initialize the rule using the language processor if needed.
`boolean`	`isDeprecated()`	Gets whether this Rule is deprecated.
`void`	`setDeprecated(boolean deprecated)`	Sets whether this Rule is deprecated.
`void`	`setDescription(String description)`	Set the description of this Rule.
`void`	`setExternalInfoUrl(String externalInfoUrl)`	Set a URL for external information about this Rule.
`void`	`setLanguage(Language language)`	Set the Language of this Rule.
`void`	`setMaximumLanguageVersion(LanguageVersion maximumLanguageVersion)`	Set the maximum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies.
`void`	`setMessage(String message)`	Set the message to show when this Rule identifies a violation.
`void`	`setMinimumLanguageVersion(LanguageVersion minimumLanguageVersion)`	Set the minimum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies.
`void`	`setName(String name)`	Set the name of this Rule.
`void`	`setPriority(RulePriority priority)`	Set the priority of this Rule.
`void`	`setRuleClass(String ruleClass)`	Set the class of this Rule.
`void`	`setRuleSetName(String name)`	Set the name of the RuleSet containing this Rule.
`void`	`setSince(String since)`	Set the version of PMD in which this Rule was added.
`void`	`start(RuleContext ctx)`	Start processing.

Methods inherited from interface net.sourceforge.pmd.properties.PropertySource
definePropertyDescriptor, dysfunctionReason, getOverriddenPropertiesByPropertyDescriptor, getOverriddenPropertyDescriptors, getPropertiesByPropertyDescriptor, getProperty, getPropertyDescriptor, getPropertyDescriptors, hasDescriptor, isPropertyOverridden, setProperty

- Field Detail
  - VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_REGEX_DESCRIPTOR
```
static final PropertyDescriptor<Optional<Pattern>> VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_REGEX_DESCRIPTOR
```
    The property descriptor to universally suppress violations with messages matching a regular expression.
  - VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_XPATH_DESCRIPTOR
```
static final PropertyDescriptor<Optional<String>> VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_XPATH_DESCRIPTOR
```
    Name of the property to universally suppress violations on nodes which match a given relative XPath expression.
- Method Detail
  - getLanguage
```
Language getLanguage()
```
    Get the Language of this Rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    the language
  - setLanguage
```
void setLanguage(Language language)
```
    Set the Language of this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    language - the language
  - getMinimumLanguageVersion
```
LanguageVersion getMinimumLanguageVersion()
```
    Get the minimum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies. If this value is null it indicates there is no minimum bound.
    
    Returns:
    
    the minimum language version
  - setMinimumLanguageVersion
```
void setMinimumLanguageVersion(LanguageVersion minimumLanguageVersion)
```
    Set the minimum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies.
    
    Parameters:
    
    minimumLanguageVersion - the minimum language version
  - getMaximumLanguageVersion
```
LanguageVersion getMaximumLanguageVersion()
```
    Get the maximum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies. If this value is null it indicates there is no maximum bound.
    
    Returns:
    
    the maximum language version
  - setMaximumLanguageVersion
```
void setMaximumLanguageVersion(LanguageVersion maximumLanguageVersion)
```
    Set the maximum LanguageVersion to which this Rule applies.
    
    Parameters:
    
    maximumLanguageVersion - the maximum language version
  - isDeprecated
```
boolean isDeprecated()
```
    Gets whether this Rule is deprecated. A deprecated Rule is one which:
    
    is scheduled for removal in a future version of PMD
    
    or, has been removed and replaced with a non-functioning place-holder and will be completely removed in a future version of PMD
    
    or, has been renamed/moved and the old name will be completely removed in a future version of PMD
    Returns:
    
    true if this rule is deprecated
  - setDeprecated
```
void setDeprecated(boolean deprecated)
```
    Sets whether this Rule is deprecated.
    
    Parameters:
    
    deprecated - whether this rule is deprecated
  - getName
```
String getName()
```
    Get the name of this Rule.
    
    Specified by:
    
    getName in interface PropertySource
    
    Returns:
    
    the name
  - setName
```
void setName(String name)
```
    Set the name of this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    name - the name
  - getSince
```
String getSince()
```
    Get the version of PMD in which this Rule was added. Return null if not applicable.
    
    Returns:
    
    version of PMD since when this rule was added
  - setSince
```
void setSince(String since)
```
    Set the version of PMD in which this Rule was added.
    
    Parameters:
    
    since - the version of PMD since when this rule was added
  - getRuleClass
```
String getRuleClass()
```
    Get the implementation class of this Rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    the implementation class name of this rule.
  - setRuleClass
```
void setRuleClass(String ruleClass)
```
    Set the class of this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    ruleClass - the class name of this rule.
  - getRuleSetName
```
String getRuleSetName()
```
    Get the name of the RuleSet containing this Rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    the name of th ruleset containing this rule.
    
    See Also:
    
    RuleSet
  - setRuleSetName
```
void setRuleSetName(String name)
```
    Set the name of the RuleSet containing this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    name - the name of the ruleset containing this rule.
    
    See Also:
    
    RuleSet
  - getMessage
```
String getMessage()
```
    Get the message to show when this Rule identifies a violation.
    
    Returns:
    
    the message to show for a violation.
  - setMessage
```
void setMessage(String message)
```
    Set the message to show when this Rule identifies a violation.
    
    Parameters:
    
    message - the message to show for a violation.
  - getDescription
```
String getDescription()
```
    Get the description of this Rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    the description
  - setDescription
```
void setDescription(String description)
```
    Set the description of this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    description - the description
  - getExamples
```
List<String> getExamples()
```
    Get the list of examples for this Rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    the list of examples for this rule.
  - addExample
```
void addExample(String example)
```
    Add a single example for this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    example - a single example to add
  - getExternalInfoUrl
```
String getExternalInfoUrl()
```
    Get a URL for external information about this Rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    the URL for external information about this rule.
  - setExternalInfoUrl
```
void setExternalInfoUrl(String externalInfoUrl)
```
    Set a URL for external information about this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    externalInfoUrl - the URL for external information about this rule.
  - getPriority
```
RulePriority getPriority()
```
    Get the priority of this Rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    the priority
  - setPriority
```
void setPriority(RulePriority priority)
```
    Set the priority of this Rule.
    
    Parameters:
    
    priority - the priority
  - getTargetSelector
```
RuleTargetSelector getTargetSelector()
```
    Returns the object that selects the nodes to which this rule applies. The selected nodes will be handed to apply(Node, RuleContext).
  - initialize
```
default void initialize(LanguageProcessor languageProcessor)
```
    Initialize the rule using the language processor if needed.
    
    Parameters:
    
    languageProcessor - The processor for the rule's language
  - start
```
void start(RuleContext ctx)
```
    Start processing. Called once per file, before apply() is first called.
    
    Parameters:
    
    ctx - the rule context
  - apply
```
void apply(Node target,
           RuleContext ctx)
```
    Process the given node. The nodes that are fed to this method are the nodes selected by getTargetSelector().
    
    Parameters:
    
    target - Node on which to apply the rule
    
    ctx - Rule context, handling violations
  - end
```
void end(RuleContext ctx)
```
    End processing. Called once per file, after apply() is last called.
    
    Parameters:
    
    ctx - the rule context
  - deepCopy
```
Rule deepCopy()
```
    Creates a new copy of this rule.
    
    Returns:
    
    A new exact copy of this rule

Interface Rule

Field Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from interface net.sourceforge.pmd.properties.PropertySource

Field Detail

VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_REGEX_DESCRIPTOR

VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_XPATH_DESCRIPTOR

Method Detail

getLanguage

setLanguage

getMinimumLanguageVersion

setMinimumLanguageVersion

getMaximumLanguageVersion

setMaximumLanguageVersion

isDeprecated

setDeprecated

getName

setName

getSince

setSince

getRuleClass

setRuleClass

getRuleSetName

setRuleSetName

getMessage

setMessage

getDescription

setDescription

getExamples

addExample

getExternalInfoUrl

setExternalInfoUrl

getPriority

setPriority

getTargetSelector

initialize

start

apply

end

deepCopy