Annotation Processing

This page is the source-of-truth for where Sting actively processes each public annotation, where it only tolerates an annotation for framework integration, and where a placement is ignored or invalid.

Matrix

Annotation	Actively processed by Sting	Silent integration exception	Ignored or invalid
`@Injectable`	Type target; top-level processor entrypoint.	None.	Invalid anywhere else.
`@Fragment`	Type target; top-level processor entrypoint.	None.	Invalid anywhere else.
`@Injector`	Type target; top-level processor entrypoint.	None.	Invalid anywhere else.
`@Factory`	Type target; top-level processor entrypoint.	None.	Invalid anywhere else.
`@InjectorFragment`	Type target; top-level processor entrypoint for validation-only integration.	None.	Does not create bindings or injector outputs.
`@Named`	`@Injectable` types, `@Injectable` constructor parameters, `@Fragment` provider methods, `@Fragment` provider method parameters, `@Injector` output methods.	`@InjectorFragment` methods; constructor parameters of types annotated via `@ActAsStingConsumer`; types annotated via `@ActAsStingProvider`; both placements via `@ActAsStingComponent`.	`@StingProvider`-annotated framework component types and other placements are invalid.
`@Typed`	`@Injectable` types, `@Fragment` provider methods.	Types annotated via `@ActAsStingProvider` or `@ActAsStingComponent`.	`@Injector` output methods, `@StingProvider`-annotated framework component types, and other placements are invalid.
`@Eager`	`@Injectable` types, `@Fragment` provider methods.	Types annotated via `@ActAsStingProvider` or `@ActAsStingComponent`.	`@StingProvider`-annotated framework component types and other placements are invalid.
`@StingProvider`	Integration meta-annotation consulted during includes and auto-discovery.	Not applicable.	Does not itself create a Sting binding.
`@ActAsStingConsumer`	Integration meta-annotation consulted during validation.	Not applicable.	Does not itself create a Sting binding.
`@ActAsStingProvider`	Integration meta-annotation consulted during validation.	Not applicable.	Does not itself create a Sting binding.
`@ActAsStingComponent`	Integration meta-annotation consulted during validation.	Not applicable.	Does not itself create a Sting binding.
`@InterceptorBinding`	Interceptor binding meta-annotation consulted when a reachable binding publishes service interfaces.	Equivalent simple-name annotations with compatible `priority` and `implementedBy` members.	Does not itself create a Sting binding; method usages are valid only on `@Fragment` provider methods in v1.
`@Injector.Input`	Nested configuration processed only inside `@Injector`.	None.	Not treated as an independent processor trigger.

Notes

Feature is not listed here because it is an enum, not an annotation.
When @Typed is present on a @Fragment provider method, Sting publishes exactly the declared types rather than implicitly publishing the method return type.
For provider-backed framework integration, Sting processes the resolved provider type, not the framework annotation target itself. @Named, @Typed, and @Eager must be placed on the resolved Sting provider type if they are needed for graph semantics. Providers used only as explicit include aliases usually do not need those annotations copied for the framework-managed type, while providers intended to support auto-discovery usually do when the framework-managed type should be published with those semantics.
Sting matches @ActAsStingConsumer, @ActAsStingProvider, @ActAsStingComponent, and @InterceptorBinding by simple name and shape so third-party frameworks may define equivalent annotations without depending directly on Sting.