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@AutoObserve

The @AutoObserve annotation keeps a referenced ComponentObservable observed for the full alive lifetime of the owning component. This is primarily useful when a component references another @ArezComponent configured with disposeOnDeactivate = true and the owner should keep that referenced component alive while the owner itself is alive.

The annotation can be placed on:

• a final field
• a concrete zero-argument method
• an abstract @Observable getter
• an abstract @Reference accessor

For field targets, prefer package access. The annotation processor emits suppressable warnings for public fields and for protected fields unless the field is inherited from a parent class in a different package.

When the target can return null, the generated auto-observer skips null values safely. When paired with @Reference, auto-observation forces the reference to resolve, even for LAZY references.

Use @AutoObserve when you want liveness coupling. Use @CascadeDispose when the owner should explicitly dispose the target. Use @ComponentDependency when disposal of the target should trigger disposal or nulling of the owner reference.

An example:

@ArezComponent
public abstract class Dashboard
{
  // The session should stay alive while the dashboard is alive.
  @AutoObserve
  @Nonnull
  final Session _session;
  ...

  // Retargeting the observable property automatically updates the auto-observer.
  @AutoObserve
  @Observable
  @Nullable
  public abstract Workspace getWorkspace();
  ...

  // Lazy references are force-resolved when auto-observed.
  @AutoObserve
  @Reference( load = LinkType.LAZY )
  @Nullable
  public abstract Workspace getPinnedWorkspace();

  @ReferenceId
  @Observable
  @Nullable
  public abstract Integer getPinnedWorkspaceId();
  ...
}