1   /* 
    2    * Copyright (c) 2004-2007 QOS.ch
    3    * All rights reserved.
    4    * 
    5    * Permission is hereby granted, free  of charge, to any person obtaining
    6    * a  copy  of this  software  and  associated  documentation files  (the
    7    * "Software"), to  deal in  the Software without  restriction, including
    8    * without limitation  the rights to  use, copy, modify,  merge, publish,
    9    * distribute,  sublicense, and/or sell  copies of  the Software,  and to
   10    * permit persons to whom the Software  is furnished to do so, subject to
   11    * the following conditions:
   12    * 
   13    * The  above  copyright  notice  and  this permission  notice  shall  be
   14    * included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
   15    * 
   16    * THE  SOFTWARE IS  PROVIDED  "AS  IS", WITHOUT  WARRANTY  OF ANY  KIND,
   17    * EXPRESS OR  IMPLIED, INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED  TO THE  WARRANTIES OF
   18    * MERCHANTABILITY,    FITNESS    FOR    A   PARTICULAR    PURPOSE    AND
   19    * NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE
   20    * LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION
   21    * OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,  ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
   22    * WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
   23    */
   24   
   25   package org.slf4j;
   26   
   27   
   28   /**
   29    * <code>ILoggerFactory</code> instances manufacture {@link Logger}
   30    * instances by name.
   31    * 
   32    * <p>Most users retrieve {@link Logger} instances through the static
   33    * {@link LoggerFactory#getLogger(String)} method. An instance of of this
   34    * interface is bound internally with {@link LoggerFactory} class at 
   35    * compile time. 
   36    * 
   37    * @author Ceki G&uuml;lc&uuml;
   38    */
   39   public interface ILoggerFactory {
   40     
   41     /**
   42      * Return an appropriate {@link Logger} instance as specified by the
   43      * <code>name</code> parameter.
   44      * 
   45      * <p>If the name parameter is equal to {@link Logger#ROOT_LOGGER_NAME}, that is 
   46      * the string value "ROOT" (case insensitive), then the root logger of the 
   47      * underlying logging system is returned.
   48      * 
   49      * <p>Null-valued name arguments are considered invalid.
   50      *
   51      * <p>Certain extremely simple logging systems, e.g. NOP, may always
   52      * return the same logger instance regardless of the requested name.
   53      * 
   54      * @param name the name of the Logger to return
   55      */
   56     public Logger getLogger(String name);
   57   }