Core java NAGOOR BABU Agend: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Generics Introduction Generic Classes Bounded Types Generic methods and wild card character Communication with non generic code Conclusions Introduction: Case 1: Arrays are always type safe that is we can provide the guarantee for the type of elements present inside array. For example if our programming requirement is to hold String type of objects it is recommended to use String array. in the case of string array we can add only string type of objects by mistake if we are trying to add any other type we will get compile time error. Example: String[] s=new String{600]; s(0]="durga" s[1]="pavan"; :\SCIP>javac Test.java s[2]=new Integer(10);(invalid) GE > Test java:8: incompatible types found : java.lang.integer required: java.tang.String That is we can always provide guarantee for the type of elements present inside array and hence arrays are safe to use with respect to type that is arrays are type safe. But collections are not type safe that is we can’t provide any guarantee for the type of ‘elements present inside collection. For example if our programming requirement is to hold only string type of objects it is never recommended to go for ArrayList. By mistake if we are trying to add any other type we won't get any compile time error but the program may fail at runtime. 397 DURGA SOFTCore java NAGOOR BABU Example: ‘ArrayList lenow ArrayList(); - Ladd("vijaya"); Ladd{"bhaskara"); . Ladd{new integer(10)}; eee String namei=(string).get(0}; String name2=(String)}.get{2}; String name3=(String)l.get(2}:{invalid). ‘* Hence we can’t provide guarantee for the type of elements present inside collections that is collections are not safe to use with respect to type. Case 2: In the case of array at the time of retrieval it is not required to perform any type casting. Example: String] ssnew String[600}; type casting is not required. ‘* Buti the case of collection at the time of retrieval compulsory we should perform type casting otherwise we will get compile time error. Example: ArrayList Isnew ArrayList(); Ladd("vijaya"); Ladd{"bhaskara"); String name1=,l.get(0); Es rest.java:9: Incompatible types found: java.lang.Object required: java.lang.String, \t the time of -asting is Mandator String name1=(string)|.get(0); ‘* Thats n collections type casting is bigger headache. 398, DURGA SOFTCore java NAGOOR BABU © To overcome the above problems of collections(type-safety, type casting)sun people introduced generics concept in 1.5v hence the main objectives of generics are: 1) To provide type safety to the collections. 2) To resolve type casting problems. * To hold only string type of objects we can create a generic version of ArrayList as follows. example: Arraylist I=new ArrayListeString>(); toa i [Fest java:S: cannot find symbol Hl symbol : method ada{int) location: class java.util ArrayListsjava Ladd(10); ‘For this ArrayList we can add only string type of objects by mistake if we are trying to add any other type we will get compile time error that is through generics we are getting type safety. © At the time of retrieval it is not real elements directly to string type variables. Example: id to perform any type casting we can assign ArrayList Isnew ArrayList(); Ladd("A"); String namei=/|.get(0); L Siype casting is not required © That is through generic syntax we can resolve type casting problems. Conclusion: * Polymorphism concept is applicable only for the base type but not for parameter typelusage of parent reference to hold child object is called polymorphism} Example: parameter type ArrayList I1=new ArrayList(); base Type List I2=new Arraylist(}; Collection I3=new ArrayList(}; incompatible types Arraylist