What are alternatives to annotation processors and how do they compare?

Explore alternatives to Java annotation processors, such as reflection, bytecode manipulation, and AOP (Aspect-Oriented Programming). Each alternative offers unique benefits and trade-offs for code generation and runtime processing.

Java, annotation processors, reflection, bytecode manipulation, AOP, code generation, runtime processing

<?php // Example of alternative to annotation processing using reflection class AnnotationExample { /** * @MyAnnotation */ public function myMethod() { // method implementation } } // Using reflection to read annotation $reflect = new ReflectionClass('AnnotationExample'); $method = $reflect->getMethod('myMethod'); $docComment = $method->getDocComment(); if (strpos($docComment, 'MyAnnotation') !== false) { echo "MyAnnotation is present on myMethod."; } ?>

Java annotation processors reflection bytecode manipulation AOP code generation runtime processing