Java interfaces in annotation value

Question

Why does the java compiler not allow using interfaces in annotations?

I can use enums in an annotation:

public @interface SomeAnnotation {
    SomeEnum[] value() default {};
}

I can implement an interface in an enum:

public enum SomeEnum implements SomeInterface {
   NAME1, NAME2; 
}

but I can't use interfaces in annotations:

public @interface SomeAnnotation {
    SomeInterface[] value() default {};
}

Quite frustrating...

Answer 1

Because an interface is not a valid return type, as per JLS the return type of a method declared in an annotation type must be one of the following, or a compile-time error occurs:

A primitive type

String

Class or an invocation of Class (§4.5)

An enum type

An annotation type

An array type whose component type is one of the preceding types (§10.1).