Reputation: 27628

Using generics for arrays

Is it possible to use generics for arrays?

Upvotes: 3

Answers (9)

KyelJmD

Reputation: 4732

If you mean having an array of List then the answer is no. new List<Number>[10] is illegal in java. questions like these could be answerable by searching it in Google alone or checking out the official Generics tutorial

Upvotes: 0

user1317764

Reputation:

Excerpt from Java Generics and collections.

Arrays reify their component types, meaning that they carry run-time information about the type of their components. This reified type information is used in instance tests and casts, and also used to check whether assignments into array components are permitted.

Therefore one is not allowed to have the suntax

new List<Integer>[10] ;

However the following is allowed

List<String>[] stringListArray=(List<String>[])new List[10];

Now this is not a really good practice. Such casts are not safe and should be avoided.

Which in general points to the fact that we should avoid using arrays of generic type.

Upvotes: 0

Injektilo

Reputation: 579

If I ever want to, say, refactor the elements of an array to a better type, like from String to MyPairClass<String, Integer>, I tend to avoid the unchecked cast problem by making an empty subclass that "bakes in" the generic parameters, e.g.

class Maguffin {
    private static class StringIntegerPair extends MyPairClass<String, Integer> {
        private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    };

    ...

    private final StringIntegerPair[] horribleOldArray;

    ...

This nested class will probably also need constructors that delegate up to the generic type's constructors, depending on what you do when adding new array elements. When passing the elements out of the enclosing class, just cast them up to the generic type:

    ...

    MyPairClass<String, Integer> getSomethingFromTheArray(int index) {
        return horribleOldArray[index];
    }

    ...

}

All this being said, there should rarely be a need to do something like this if you are writing something new from scratch. The only real benefit of arrays over the Collections framework classes is that you can write them out as literals, and this will no longer be an advantage come next year when Java 8 is released.

Upvotes: 0

mncl

Reputation: 78

Can you use it? Ofc. Example:

public static <T> T[] mergeArrays(T[]... arrays) {
    ArrayList<T> arrayList = new ArrayList<T>();

    for (T[] array : arrays) {
        arrayList.addAll(Arrays.asList(array)); //we steal the reflection from core libs
    }
    return arrayList.toArray(arrays[0]);//we steal the reflection from core libs
}

Is it a good idea? No. This code is just me playing around with generics. It led to a dark ally. You are better of using collections. They do what you want, and the syntax is prettier in the long run.

Upvotes: 1

akarnokd

Reputation: 69997

Have a look at this site. It should contain all generics related FAQs.

On a sidenote:

class IntArrayList extends ArrayList<Integer> { }
IntArrayList[] iarray = new IntArrayList[5];

If you subclass a generic object with a concrete type, that new class can be used as array type.

Upvotes: 3

jqno

Reputation: 15520

It's possible, but far from pretty. In general, you're better of using the Collections framework instead.

See Sun's Generics tutorial, page 15, for a detailed explanation.

Upvotes: 0

banjollity

Reputation: 4540

Arrays are already basic objects types, that is to say they're not a class that describes a collection of other objects like ArrayList or HashMap.

You cannot have an array of generified types either. The following is illegal in Java:

List<String>[] lists = new List<String>[ 10 ];

This is because arrays must be typed properly by the compiler, and since Java's generics are subject to type erasure you cannot satisfy the compiler this way.

Upvotes: 5