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javaclassinterfacejava-8
Green Cloak Guy
Green Cloak Guy

Reputation: 24691

Java "Interface" class

In Java, there is a Class class that can be used to represent other classes without instantiating them. For example:

Class[] foo = { ArrayList.class, String.class, Character.class, Integer.class, MyCustomClass.class };
ArrayList bar = foo[0].newInstance();

would be valid code. I could also, for example, run through an array of Objects and do instanceof checks on all of them to the corresponding classes in the foo array, which has potential applications.

Does such a class exist in Java for interfaces? Is there some class for which I can do something resembling this:

Interface[] foo = {Comparable, List<String>, MyCustomInterface}

Since as of Java 8, Interfaces can now have static methods, this behavior could be useful, if bad practice. Does it exist?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 133

Answers (1)

Andy Turner
Andy Turner

Reputation: 140309

An interface is just a class for which Class.isInterface() returns true. So:

Class<?>[] foo = {Comparable.class, List.class, MyCustomInterface.class};

Note that there is no generic class instance for, e.g. List<String>: it's just raw List.class.

Upvotes: 10

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