## org.springframework.beans.factory
Interface HierarchicalBeanFactory

All Superinterfaces:
  BeanFactory

All Known Subinterfaces:
  ApplicationContext, ConfigurableApplicationContext, ConfigurableBeanFactory, ConfigurableListableBeanFactory, ConfigurablePortletApplicationContext, ConfigurableWebApplicationContext, WebApplicationContext

All Known Implementing Classes:
  AbstractApplicationContext, AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory, AbstractBeanFactory, AbstractRefreshableApplicationContext, AbstractRefreshableConfigApplicationContext, AbstractRefreshablePortletApplicationContext, AbstractRefreshableWebApplicationContext, AbstractXmlApplicationContext, AnnotationConfigApplicationContext, AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext, ClassPathXmlApplicationContext, DefaultListableBeanFactory, FileSystemXmlApplicationContext, GenericApplicationContext, GenericWebApplicationContext, GenericXmlApplicationContext, ResourceAdapterApplicationContext, StaticApplicationContext, StaticPortletApplicationContext, StaticWebApplicationContext, XmlBeanFactory, XmlPortletApplicationContext, XmlWebApplicationContext

    public interface HierarchicalBeanFactory

extends BeanFactory

Sub-interface implemented by bean factories that can be part of a hierarchy.

The corresponding `setParentBeanFactory` method for bean factories that allow setting the parent in a configurable fashion can be found in the ConfigurableBeanFactory interface.

Since:
  07.07.2003
Author:
  Rod Johnson, Juergen Hoeller
See Also:
  `ConfigurableBeanFactory.setParentBeanFactory(org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory)`

Field Summary

Fields inherited from interface org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory
`FACTORY_BEAN_PREFIX`

Method Summary
`boolean` `containsLocalBean(String name)` Return whether the local bean factory contains a bean of the given name, ignoring beans defined in ancestor contexts.
`BeanFactory` `getParentBeanFactory()` Return the parent bean factory, or `null` if there is none.

Methods inherited from interface org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory
`containsBean, getAliases, getBean, getBean, getBean, getBean, getType, isPrototype, isSingleton, isTypeMatch`

Method Detail

### getParentBeanFactory

    BeanFactory getParentBeanFactory()

  Return the parent bean factory, or `null` if there is none.

### containsLocalBean

    boolean containsLocalBean(String name)

  Return whether the local bean factory contains a bean of the given name, ignoring beans defined in ancestor contexts.

  This is an alternative to `containsBean`, ignoring a bean of the given name from an ancestor bean factory.

  Parameters:
    `name` - the name of the bean to query
  Returns:
    whether a bean with the given name is defined in the local factory
  See Also:
    `BeanFactory.containsBean(java.lang.String)`