generics - How to interpret "public <T> T readObjectData(... Class<T> type)" in Java? -

i have java code.

public <t> t readobjectdata(bytebuffer buffer, class<t> type) { ... t retval = (t) summaries; return retval; 

how interpret code? why need public <t> t instead of public t?

how give parameter 2nd argument (class<t> type)?

this declares readobjectdata method generic, 1 type parameter, t.

public <t> ... 

then return type t.

... t readobjectdata(... 

without initial <t>, generic type declaration, symbol t undefined.

in parameter list, class<t> type 1 of parameters. because return type , parameter both reference t, ensures if pass in class<string>, return string. if pass in class<double>, return double.

to pass in parameter, pass in class object, e.g. string.class.