/*
 * Copyright (c) 2012, the Last.fm Java Project and Committers All rights
 * reserved. Redistribution and use of this software in source and binary forms,
 * with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following
 * conditions are met: - Redistributions of source code must retain the above
 * copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. -
 * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
 * this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
 * and/or other materials provided with the distribution. THIS SOFTWARE IS
 * PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR
 * IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
 * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO
 * EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
 * INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
 * (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
 * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
 * ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
 * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
 * SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 */

package com.andrew.apollo.lastfm;

/**
 * An <code>ItemFactory</code> can be used to instantiate a value object - such
 * as Artist, Album, Track, Tag - from an XML element. Use the
 * {@link ItemFactoryBuilder} to obtain item factories for a specific type.
 * 
 * @author Janni Kovacs
 * @see com.andrew.apollo.lastfm.api.ItemFactoryBuilder
 * @see ResponseBuilder
 */
interface ItemFactory<T> {

    /**
     * Create a new instance of the type <code>T</code>, based on the passed
     * {@link DomElement}.
     * 
     * @param element the XML element
     * @return a new object
     */
    public T createItemFromElement(DomElement element);

}
