Generics

Java 5 introduces Generics to deal with Type Safety, reduce bugs and an extra layer of abstraction over existing code.

it allows Types (classes, interface) to be parameterised while defining the interface, class and method. The Type parameter allows reusing the same code with different input types. They provide the compile time safety and catch invalid input at compile time only.

Generics were primarily introduced for the collection framework to provide compile-time checking and avoid the very common  ClassCastException. The whole collection framework was rewritten to make it compatible with Generics and Type Safety.

Java Generics same as Templates in C++

Generics provide 3 major benefits

• Type Safety

Generics allows the Type of object that needs to be saved or processed, so it checks at compile time only. for example, without Generics, it was not possible to define and force List to take input of a particular Type only, which might result in a Runtime Exception.

package org.wesome.generics;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

class Fruit {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        List fruits = new ArrayList();
        fruits.add("Fuji");
        fruits.add(1); // ClassCastException 
    }
}

with Generics, Java forces to define the input Type of collection it checks the input at compile time only.

package org.wesome.generics;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

class Fruit {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        List<String> fruits = new ArrayList();
        fruits.add("Fuji");
        fruits.add(1); // ClassCastException 
    }
}

• Type Casting is not Required

Since Java had no way to define the input Types, it used to consider everything as an object. in order to get the element back, a Typecasting was required.

package org.wesome.generics;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

class Fruit {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        List list = new ArrayList();
        list.add(1);
        list.add(2);
        for (Object integer : list) {
            int temp = (int) integer;
            System.out.println("integer is = " + temp);
        }
    }
}

since Generics forces to validate input at compile time, no Typecasting is required.

package org.wesome.generics;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

class Fruit {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        List<Integer> list = new ArrayList();
        list.add(1);
        list.add(2);
        for (Integer integer : list) {
            int temp = integer;
            System.out.println("integer is = " + temp);
        }
    }
}

• compile-time type validation

Java could not validate the input Types at Compiletime, which result in a Runtime Exception.

package org.wesome.generics;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

class Fruit {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        List list = new ArrayList();
        list.add(1);
        list.add(2);
        list.add("Apple");
    }
}

since List has been forced to take input of Integer Type only hence will throw Compiletime Exception.

package org.wesome.generics;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

class Fruit {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        List<Integer> list = new ArrayList();
        list.add(1);
        list.add(2);
        list.add("Apple");
    }
}

Generics with Map
The map is not part of the collection framework, but it allows the Generics Types to make sure compile-time input validation.

package org.wesome.generics;

import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;

class Fruit {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        Map<Integer, String> appleMap = new HashMap();
        appleMap.put(1, "Macintosh");
        appleMap.put(2, "Fuji");
        appleMap.put(3, "Gala");
        appleMap.put(4, "Jonagold");
        for (Map.Entry<Integer, String> entry : appleMap.entrySet()) {
            System.out.println("key is = " + entry.getKey() + " value is " + entry.getValue());
        }

    }
}

Generic Type Parameters

The Generic framework has some predefined characters to denote different Types. it's not mandated to use these, but are adopted among programmers, so it's good to stay on the same page.

• T - Type of Interface or Class
• E - Element of return type or iteration
• K - Key of key-value pair
• N - Number
• V - Value of key-value pair
• S, U, V - more generic types

Generic Class

A class that can take different Types of input is known as the Generic class. symbol T is used to denote Generic Type.

package org.wesome.generics;

class GenericClass<T> {
    private T value;

    public void setValue(T value) {
        this.value = value;
    }

    public T getValue() {
        return value;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        GenericClass<String> stringGeneric = new GenericClass<>();
        stringGeneric.setValue("Apple");
        System.out.println("stringGeneric = " + stringGeneric.getValue());

        GenericClass<Integer> integerGeneric = new GenericClass<>();
        integerGeneric.setValue(1);
        System.out.println("integerGeneric = " + integerGeneric.getValue());
    }
}

User-defined Generic classes also do compile-time input validation
 

package org.wesome.generics;

class GenericClass<T> {
    private T value;

    public void setValue(T value) {
        this.value = value;
    }

    public T getValue() {
        return value;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        GenericClass<String> stringGeneric = new GenericClass<>();
        stringGeneric.setValue(1);  //compile time exception
    }
}

There is no limitation on Generic Types, a class can accept any number of Generic Types Parameter as required.

package org.wesome.generics;

class GenericClass<T1, T2> {
    private T1 t1Value;
    private T2 t2Value;

    public void setT1Value(T1 value) {
        this.t1Value = value;
    }

    public void setT2Value(T2 value) {
        this.t2Value = value;
    }

    public void show() {
        System.out.println("T1 value = " + t1Value + " T2 value " + t2Value);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        GenericClass<String, Integer> generic = new GenericClass<>();
        generic.setT1Value("Apple");
        generic.setT2Value(1);
        generic.show();
    }
}

A Generic class can extend the class and implement an interface at the same time. in Multiple Bounds, the Generic class cannot have more than 1 class, so in GenericClass<T extends Apple & Fruit & Tree Apple is a class whereas Fruit and Tree is an interface.

package org.wesome.generics;

interface Tree {
    void show();
}

interface Fruit extends Tree {
    void show();
}

class Apple implements Fruit {
    public void show() {
        System.out.println("i am an Apple");
    }
}

class GenericClass<T extends Apple & Fruit & Tree> {
    T type;

    public T getType() {
        return type;
    }

    public static <T extends Apple & Fruit & Tree> void show(T type) {
        type.show();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        GenericClass<Apple> appleGeneric = new GenericClass();
        appleGeneric.show(new Apple());
        appleGeneric.getType();
    }
}