java.lang · java.base · since Java 1.5

Enum

declaration

public abstract class Enum<E extends Enum<E>>
        implements Comparable<E>, Serializable

The implicit superclass of every enum type, supplying name(), ordinal(), compareTo (declaration order), and serialization-safe singleton semantics per constant.

Key methods

`String name()`	The exact constant identifier — stable for persistence.
`int ordinal()`	Declaration position — never persist or compute from it (EJ 35).
`static <T> T valueOf(Class<T>, String)`	Name → constant; IllegalArgumentException on unknown.