jdeps - option to to analyze package-private API

[mandy.chung at oracle.com]

On 12/12/22 7:26 AM, Alan Bateman wrote:
> On 03/12/2022 18:15, Matej Turcel wrote:
>> :
>>
>> So far, jdeps with the --api-only flag seems like the perfect tool, 
>> except
>> there is a little problem -- we have packages (dozens of them) which
>> exist in multiple modules. For example, package `com.foo` exists in
>> three separate modules (meaning each of these modules has a class in 
>> that
>> package). That means package-private "stuff" (members + 
>> constructor/method
>> signatures) is a part of module's API. So to infer correct types of 
>> gradle
>> module dependencies using jdeps, we need jdeps to consider 
>> package-private
>> stuff a part of the API.
>
> The scenario seems a bit unusual in that API elements with package 
> access aren't usually considered to be part of the API. Does the 
> javadoc published for users of these components include the API 
> elements with package access?  I realize Gradle may define "module" to 
> mean something else but for the Java platform, a module is a set of 
> packages.
>
> I haven't seen any opinions from others but my initial reaction is 
> that it wouldn't be a good idea to change --api-only to consider API 
> elements with package access to be part of the API. If jdeps were 
> changed then it would need a new option.


I also agree that it's not a good idea to change --api-only as this 
option is meant to find dependencies from exported packages and the 
module's API.

I considered in the past to provide options similar to javadoc -package, 
-private, -protected, -public that specify if 
private/package/protected/public types and members are shown.

--api-only is like javadoc -protected and it analyzes protected/public 
types and members.   I'm open to add jdeps options similar to javadoc 
-package, -private, -protected, -public but a different name since jdeps 
-package is used already.   More consideration would be needed if this 
should restrict to exported packages and how to select other packages.

Mandy