While a TypeElement represents a class or interface element, a DeclaredType represents a class or interface type, the latter being a use (or invocation) of the former. See TypeElement for more on this distinction.

The supertypes (both class and interface types) of a declared type may be found using the Types.directSupertypes(TypeMirror) method. This returns the supertypes with any type arguments substituted in.

This interface is also used to represent intersection types. An intersection type is implicit in a program rather than being explictly declared. For example, the bound of the type parameter <T extends Number & Runnable> is an intersection type. It is represented by a DeclaredType with Number as its superclass and Runnable as its lone superinterface.