CODEWITHSUNDEEP
java
Blackmore
Blackmore

Reputation: 167

Return statement syntax

What do the symbols '?' and ':' mean in a return statement? 

public boolean isItBigger(BigInteger num1, Long num2) {
        return num1 == BigInteger.ONE || num2.intValue() > 0 ? true : false;
    }

Also I think I have seen them in if statements.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 94

Answers (3)

kba
kba

Reputation: 19466

It's a ternary operator. The following are equivalent

if (x == y)
   x = 2;
else
   x = 3;

and

x = (x == y) ? 2 : 3;

Your example code is silly though. First they're checking if the expression evaluates to true. Then, if it does, they return true. They could just as well return the result of expression itself, like so:

return num1 == BigInteger.ONE || num2.intValue() > 0;

Upvotes: 1

Ankit
Ankit

Reputation: 6622

this is called conditional/ternary operator

boolean-expression ? do-this-if-true : else-do-this

it is shortened form of

if (boolean-expression) {
do-this
} else{
do-this
}

Upvotes: 0

rgettman
rgettman

Reputation: 178253

Using ? and : is Java's ternary conditional operator (JLS 15.25). The result of the expression

aBoolean ? expr1 : expr2

is expr1 if aBoolean is true, else it's expr2.

In this case, it could be left off because it's unnecessary:

return num1 == BigInteger.ONE || num2.intValue() > 0;

Upvotes: 4

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