Is there a metalanguage available for Java that allows you to access complex object hierarchies?

Question

I evaluate some potential implementations of the complex object hierarchy model for my current project. I am wondering if there is an xpath-style meta-language or something like this that will allow me to request these object bindings.

In addition, I'm sure that for the problem I'm asking about, there is some very specific jargon - I just don't know that.

Requirements:

• Must be done in Java (or at least compiled into Java bytecode).
• Objects will be hierarchically linked to each other using n possible references. obj1-> obj2-> obj3 → ...
• We need to be able to search for any object in the hierarchy based on the properties of objects or its relationship with other objects.
• Objects will be of the same type.
• A hierarchical search must be performed at run time.

I think I could curtail my decision here, but I'm curious if someone smarter than me has already come up with something.

After looking at some of the answers, I think I might need to clarify my question a bit more. In particular, this tool will be used to intersect many objects that are different versions of the parent object.

For example:

[Object 1 prop1 = "foo" prop2 = "bar" prop3 = "zoop"]

↓ Inherits the object above ↓

[Object 2 prop1 = "foo and something" prop2 = "bar" prop3 = "zoop"]

↓ Inherits the object above ↓

[Object 3 prop1 = "foo and something" prop2 = "bar" prop3 = "zoop 24"]

Answer 1

, JXPath , .

Answer 2

- OGNL, SPEL EL?

Answer 3

, , -, , jaxen , , :

" Jaxen is an open-source XPath library written in Java. It adapts to many different object models, including DOM, XOM, dom4j and JDOM. Can I also write adapters that process non-XML trees, such as compiled bytes "Java or Java beans code, like XML, which allows you to query these trees using XPath as well."