What does it means by returning an interface Object in Java?
<p>First, check out this document first:</p>

<p><a href="http://htmlcleaner.sourceforge.net/doc/org/htmlcleaner/TagNode.html" rel="nofollow">http://htmlcleaner.sourceforge.net/doc/org/htmlcleaner/TagNode.html</a></p>

<p>It have a function called: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>getAllElementsList(boolean isRecursive).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and it will return me something called:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>List</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Ok, when I go to this the document of "List", I check this:
<a href="http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/util/List.html" rel="nofollow">http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/util/List.html</a></p>

<p>Which is an interface:</p>

<pre><code>public interface List&lt;E&gt; extends Collection&lt;E&gt;
</code></pre>

<p>My question is....What does it expand me to do? He want me to have an object which implemented the List interface can get be used as a return type?</p>

<p>Also, what is the <code>&lt;E&gt;</code> means? Thank you. </p>
