```
public interface IRequirement
```
A requirement represents some external constraint on an IInstallableUnit. Each requirement represents something an IInstallableUnit needs that it expects to be provided by another IInstallableUnit. Requirements are entirely generic, and are intended to be capable of representing anything that an IInstallableUnit may need either at install time, or at runtime.
Instances of this class are handle objects and do not necessarily reflect entities that exist in any particular profile or repository. These handle objects can be created using MetadataFactory.

Since:

2.0

See Also:

IProvidedCapability, MetadataFactory.createRequirement(String, String, VersionRange, String, boolean, boolean, boolean)

Restriction:

This interface is not intended to be implemented by clients.

Restriction:

This interface is not intended to be extended by clients.

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`String`	`getDescription()`	Returns a textual description of this requirement.
`IMatchExpression<IInstallableUnit>`	`getFilter()`
`IMatchExpression<IInstallableUnit>`	`getMatches()`	Returns a boolean match expression that will return true for any `IInstallableUnit` that matches the requirement.
`int`	`getMax()`	Returns the maximum cardinality of the requirement.
`int`	`getMin()`	Returns the minimum cardinality of the requirement.
`boolean`	`isGreedy()`	Returns whether this requirement should cause extra installable units to be installed in order to satisfy it.
`boolean`	`isMatch(IInstallableUnit iu)`	Returns whether the provided capabilities of the given installable unit satisfy this requirement.

- Method Detail
  - getMin
```
int getMin()
```
    Returns the minimum cardinality of the requirement. That is, the minimum number of capabilities that must be provided that match this requirement before this requirement is considered fully satisfied. A minimum cardinality of 0 indicates that the requirement is optional.
    
    Returns:
    
    the minimum cardinality of this requirement
  - getMax
```
int getMax()
```
    Returns the maximum cardinality of the requirement. That is, the maximum number of capabilities that are permitted to be present that satisfy this requirement. A maximum cardinality of 0 indicates that there must not be any installable unit in the system that satisfies this requirement.
    
    Returns:
    
    the maximum cardinality of this requirement
  - getFilter
```
IMatchExpression<IInstallableUnit> getFilter()
```
    Since:
    
    2.0
    
    Restriction:
    
    This method is not intended to be referenced by clients.
  - getMatches
```
IMatchExpression<IInstallableUnit> getMatches()
```
    Returns a boolean match expression that will return true for any IInstallableUnit that matches the requirement.
    
    Returns:
    
    A boolean match expression for installable unit matching.
  - isMatch
```
boolean isMatch(IInstallableUnit iu)
```
    Returns whether the provided capabilities of the given installable unit satisfy this requirement.
    
    Parameters:
    
    iu - the installable unit to check for matching capabilities
    
    Returns:
    
    true if the given installable unit satisfies this requirement, and false otherwise.
  - isGreedy
```
boolean isGreedy()
```
    Returns whether this requirement should cause extra installable units to be installed in order to satisfy it.
    
    Returns:
    
    true if additional installable units should be installed to satisfy this requirement, and false otherwise
  - getDescription
```
String getDescription()
```
    Returns a textual description of this requirement.
    
    Returns:
    
    a textual description of this requirement

Interface IRequirement

Method Summary

Method Detail

getMin

getMax

getFilter

getMatches

isMatch

isGreedy

getDescription