Package org.codehaus.groovy.ast.expr

# Class ClassExpression

java.lang.Object
org.codehaus.groovy.ast.ASTNode
org.codehaus.groovy.ast.AnnotatedNode
org.codehaus.groovy.ast.expr.Expression
org.codehaus.groovy.ast.expr.ClassExpression

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `GroovydocHolder<AnnotatedNode>`, `NodeMetaDataHandler`

public class ClassExpression extends Expression
Represents access to a Java or Groovy class object as an expression. This is used when referring to a class literal (e.g., `String.class`, `MyClass`) in contexts such as invoking static methods, accessing static members, or passing a class as an argument. The type of this expression is the `ClassNode` being accessed.

- ## Field Summary

  ### Fields inherited from class org.codehaus.groovy.ast.expr.Expression

  `EMPTY_ARRAY`

  ### Fields inherited from interface groovy.lang.groovydoc.GroovydocHolder

  `DOC_COMMENT`

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Constructor
  Description
  `ClassExpression(ClassNode type)`
  Creates a class expression for the specified type.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `String`
  `getText()`
  Returns a human-readable text representation of this AST node.
  `String`
  `toString()`
  `Expression`
  `transformExpression(ExpressionTransformer transformer)`
  Transforms this expression and any nested expressions according to the provided transformer.
  `void`
  `visit(GroovyCodeVisitor visitor)`
  Accepts a code visitor for AST traversal and transformation.

  ### Methods inherited from class org.codehaus.groovy.ast.expr.Expression

  `getType, setType, transformExpressions, transformExpressions`

  ### Methods inherited from class org.codehaus.groovy.ast.AnnotatedNode

  `addAnnotation, addAnnotation, addAnnotations, getAnnotations, getAnnotations, getDeclaringClass, getGroovydoc, getInstance, hasNoRealSourcePosition, isSynthetic, setDeclaringClass, setHasNoRealSourcePosition, setSynthetic`

  ### Methods inherited from class org.codehaus.groovy.ast.ASTNode

  `copyNodeMetaData, getColumnNumber, getLastColumnNumber, getLastLineNumber, getLineNumber, getMetaDataMap, setColumnNumber, setLastColumnNumber, setLastLineNumber, setLineNumber, setMetaDataMap, setSourcePosition`

  ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

  `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

  ### Methods inherited from interface org.codehaus.groovy.ast.NodeMetaDataHandler

  `copyNodeMetaData, getNodeMetaData, getNodeMetaData, getNodeMetaData, newMetaDataMap, putNodeMetaData, removeNodeMetaData, setNodeMetaData`

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### ClassExpression

    public ClassExpression(ClassNode type)
    Creates a class expression for the specified type.
    Parameters:
      `type` - the class being accessed as an expression (non-null)

- ## Method Details

  - ### visit

    public void visit(GroovyCodeVisitor visitor)
    Description copied from class: `ASTNode`
    Accepts a code visitor for AST traversal and transformation. Subclasses must implement this method to support visitor pattern-based processing. The visitor pattern enables decoupling of AST structure from processing logic.
    Overrides:
      `visit` in class `ASTNode`
    Parameters:
      `visitor` - the `GroovyCodeVisitor` to process this node

  - ### transformExpression

    public Expression transformExpression(ExpressionTransformer transformer)
    Description copied from class: `Expression`
    Transforms this expression and any nested expressions according to the provided transformer. This method is called during AST transformation phases and must recursively transform any nested expressions to support full AST tree transformation.
    Specified by:
      `transformExpression` in class `Expression`
    Parameters:
      `transformer` - the `ExpressionTransformer` to apply
    Returns:
      a transformed copy of this expression (or this expression itself if no changes are needed)

  - ### getText

    public String getText()
    Description copied from class: `ASTNode`
    Returns a human-readable text representation of this AST node. Used for debugging and error messages. Default implementation returns a message indicating the representation is not yet implemented for this node type.
    Overrides:
      `getText` in class `ASTNode`
    Returns:
      text representation of this node, or placeholder for unimplemented types

  - ### toString

    public String toString()
    Overrides:
      `toString` in class `Object`