Direct Known Subclasses:

ArrayForm, BigIntegerForm, BooleanForm, ByteBufferForm, ByteForm, CharacterForm, ClassForm, CollectionForm, DoubleForm, FieldForm, FloatForm, IntegerForm, ItemForm, LongForm, MapForm, NumberForm, PolyForm, R2Form, R3Form, ShortForm, StringForm, TagForm, TensorForm, UnitForm, UriForm, UriPathForm, UriPatternForm, ValueForm, Z2Form, Z3Form
```
public abstract class Form<T>
extends Object
```
Transformation between a structurally typed Item and a nominally typed Java object.

Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor Description

Form()

Method Summary

All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`abstract T`	`cast(Item item)`	Converts a structurally typed `item` into a nominally typed Java object.
`T`	`cast(Item item, T object)`	Converts a structurally typed `item` into a nominally typed Java object based on the provided prototype `object`.
`static <T> Form<T>`	`forArray(Class<?> type, Form<?> form)`	Utility method to construct an `ArrayForm`.
`static Form<BigInteger>`	`forBigInteger()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `BigIntegerForm`.
`static Form<Boolean>`	`forBoolean()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `BooleanForm`.
`static <T> Form<T>`	`forBuiltin(Class<?> type)`	Returns the `type` built-in `Form` for `type` if it exists, and `null` if it does not.
`static Form<Byte>`	`forByte()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `ByteForm`.
`static Form<ByteBuffer>`	`forByteBuffer()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `ByteBufferForm`.
`static Form<Character>`	`forCharacter()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `CharacterForm`.
`static <T> Form<T>`	`forClass(Class<?> type)`	Returns a `Form` for `type` preferring built-in `Forms` to `ClassForm` constructions whenever possible.
`static <T> Form<T>`	`forClass(Class<?> type, PolyForm scope)`	Returns a `Form` for `type` against `scope` preferring built-in `Forms` to `ClassForm` constructions whenever possible.
`static <CC,T> Form<CC>`	`forCollection(Class<?> type, Form<T> form)`	Utility method to construct a `CollectionForm`.
`static Form<Double>`	`forDouble()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `DoubleForm`.
`static Form<Float>`	`forFloat()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `FloatForm`.
`static Form<Integer>`	`forInteger()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `IntegerForm`.
`static Form<Item>`	`forItem()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `ItemForm`.
`static <T> Form<List<T>>`	`forList(Form<T> form)`	Utility method to construct a `CollectionForm` where the underlying collection is of type `List<T>`.
`static Form<Long>`	`forLong()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `LongForm`.
`static <CC,K,V> Form<CC>`	`forMap(Class<?> type, Form<K> keyForm, Form<V> valForm)`	Utility method to construct a `MapForm` where `casts` return objects of type `type`.
`static <K,V> Form<Map<K,V>>`	`forMap(Form<K> keyForm, Form<V> valForm)`	Utility method to construct a `MapForm`.
`static Form<Number>`	`forNumber()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `NumberForm`.
`static <T> Form<Set<T>>`	`forSet(Form<T> form)`	Utility method to construct a `CollectionForm` where the underlying collection is of type `List<T>`.
`static Form<Short>`	`forShort()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `ShortForm`.
`static Form<String>`	`forString()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `StringForm`.
`static Form<Value>`	`forValue()`	Utility method to receive a singleton `ValueForm`.
`static boolean`	`isBuiltin(Class<?> type)`	Returns whether `type` has a built-in base (i.e.
`abstract Item`	`mold(T object)`	Converts a nominally typed Java `object` into its structurally typed equivalent.
`Item`	`mold(T object, Item item)`	Converts a nominally typed Java `object` into its structurally typed equivalent based on the provided prototype `item`.
`String`	`tag()`	Returns the key of the tag attribute that distinguishes structures of this `Form`; returns `null` if this `Form` has no distinguishing tag attribute.
`Form<T>`	`tag(String tag)`	Returns a version of this `Form` that requires a head `Attr` with the given `tag` name.
`abstract Class<?>`	`type()`	Returns the reified `Class` of type `T`.
`T`	`unit()`	Returns a default–possibly `null`–value of type `T`.
`Form<T>`	`unit(T unit)`	Returns a version of this `Form` with the given `unit` value.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

- Constructor Detail
  - Form
```
public Form()
```
- Method Detail
  - tag
```
public String tag()
```
    Returns the key of the tag attribute that distinguishes structures of this Form; returns null if this Form has no distinguishing tag attribute. Used to accelerate distrcrimination of polymorphic structural types with nominal type hints.
  - tag
```
public Form<T> tag(String tag)
```
    Returns a version of this Form that requires a head Attr with the given tag name.
  - unit
```
public T unit()
```
    Returns a default–possibly null–value of type T. Used as the fallback return value when coercing an invalid structural value.
  - unit
```
public Form<T> unit(T unit)
```
    Returns a version of this Form with the given unit value.
  - type
```
public abstract Class<?> type()
```
    Returns the reified Class of type T.
  - mold
```
public Item mold(T object,
                 Item item)
```
    Converts a nominally typed Java object into its structurally typed equivalent based on the provided prototype item. The passed-in item is assumed to be non-null. The returned Item must never be null.
  - mold
```
public abstract Item mold(T object)
```
    Converts a nominally typed Java object into its structurally typed equivalent. The returned Item must never be null.
  - cast
```
public T cast(Item item,
              T object)
```
    Converts a structurally typed item into a nominally typed Java object based on the provided prototype object. The passed-in item is assumed to be non-null. The passed-in prototype object may be null.
  - cast
```
public abstract T cast(Item item)
```
    Converts a structurally typed item into a nominally typed Java object. The passed-in item is assumed to be non-null.
  - forByte
```
public static Form<Byte> forByte()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton ByteForm.
  - forShort
```
public static Form<Short> forShort()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton ShortForm.
  - forInteger
```
public static Form<Integer> forInteger()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton IntegerForm.
  - forLong
```
public static Form<Long> forLong()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton LongForm.
  - forFloat
```
public static Form<Float> forFloat()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton FloatForm.
  - forDouble
```
public static Form<Double> forDouble()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton DoubleForm.
  - forCharacter
```
public static Form<Character> forCharacter()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton CharacterForm.
  - forBoolean
```
public static Form<Boolean> forBoolean()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton BooleanForm.
  - forBigInteger
```
public static final Form<BigInteger> forBigInteger()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton BigIntegerForm.
  - forNumber
```
public static Form<Number> forNumber()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton NumberForm.
  - forString
```
public static Form<String> forString()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton StringForm.
  - forByteBuffer
```
public static Form<ByteBuffer> forByteBuffer()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton ByteBufferForm.
  - forItem
```
public static Form<Item> forItem()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton ItemForm.
  - forValue
```
public static Form<Value> forValue()
```
    Utility method to receive a singleton ValueForm.
  - forArray
```
public static <T> Form<T> forArray(Class<?> type,
                                   Form<?> form)
```
    Utility method to construct an ArrayForm.
  - forCollection
```
public static <CC,T> Form<CC> forCollection(Class<?> type,
                                                  Form<T> form)
```
    Utility method to construct a CollectionForm.
  - forList
```
public static <T> Form<List<T>> forList(Form<T> form)
```
    Utility method to construct a CollectionForm where the underlying collection is of type List<T>.
  - forSet
```
public static <T> Form<Set<T>> forSet(Form<T> form)
```
    Utility method to construct a CollectionForm where the underlying collection is of type List<T>.
  - forMap
```
public static <CC,K,V> Form<CC> forMap(Class<?> type,
                                                   Form<K> keyForm,
                                                   Form<V> valForm)
```
    Utility method to construct a MapForm where casts return objects of type type.
    
    Throws:
    
    ClassCastException - if type does not extend Map
  - forMap
```
public static <K,V> Form<Map<K,V>> forMap(Form<K> keyForm,
                                                      Form<V> valForm)
```
    Utility method to construct a MapForm.
  - isBuiltin
```
public static boolean isBuiltin(Class<?> type)
```
    Returns whether type has a built-in base (i.e. is defined in swim.structure.form and is not a CollectionForm) Form.
  - forBuiltin
```
public static <T> Form<T> forBuiltin(Class<?> type)
```
    Returns the type built-in Form for type if it exists, and null if it does not.
  - forClass
```
public static <T> Form<T> forClass(Class<?> type,
                                   PolyForm scope)
```
    Returns a Form for type against scope preferring built-in Forms to ClassForm constructions whenever possible.
  - forClass
```
public static <T> Form<T> forClass(Class<?> type)
```
    Returns a Form for type preferring built-in Forms to ClassForm constructions whenever possible.

Class Form<T>

Constructor Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Constructor Detail

Form

Method Detail

tag

tag

unit

unit

type

mold

mold

cast

cast

forByte

forShort

forInteger

forLong

forFloat

forDouble

forCharacter

forBoolean

forBigInteger

forNumber

forString

forByteBuffer

forItem

forValue

forArray

forCollection

forList

forSet

forMap

forMap

isBuiltin

forBuiltin

forClass

forClass