Faculty of Information Technology - Programming 2
Lecture 11
Generic
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Generics Definition
• Generics is a programming approach that allows
an object to operate with multiple different data
types.
• The term "Generics" means type parameterization.
Type parameterization is crucial because it allows
us to create and use a class, interface, or method
with various data types.
• A class, interface, or method that operates on a
specified parameterized type is called generic.
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Non-Generics
• Example: Using ArrayList with different data
types
Retrieve:
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Generics
• Example: Using ArrayList with Integer data
type
Retrieve:
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Generics
• Example: Using ArrayList with String data type
Retrieve:
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Advantages Generics
• Type checking at compile time
• The Java compiler performs type checking on generic
code to detect issues such as type safety violations.
Fixing errors at compile time is much easier than fixing
errors at runtime.
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Advantages Generics
• No need for type casting
• The following code snippet does not use generics and
requires type casting:
• When using generics, type casting is unnecessary:
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Advantages Generics
• Allows programmers to implement generic
algorithms.
• By using generics, programmers can implement
generic algorithms with various optional data types,
making the code clearer and easier to understand.
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Create Generic Class and Method
• Generics Type Parameter Naming Convention
Character Meaning
E Element
K Key
V Value
T Type
N Number
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Create Generic Class
• Creating a generic class with one type parameter:
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Using Generic Class
• Creating a generic class with one type
parameter:
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Create Generic Class
• Creating a generic class with two type parameter:
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Using Generic Class
• Creating a generic class with two type
parameter:
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Limit data types
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Limit data types
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Generic Placeholder Symbols
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Generic Placeholder Symbols
• Example
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Symbols <?>
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Symbols <? extends type>
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Symbols <? super type>
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Generic Contructors
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Generic Interfaces
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Generic Interfaces
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Some limitations of generics
• Unable to initialize generics with primitive data
types
• Cannot create an instance for data type
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Some limitations of generics
• Cannot be static within a class
class Gen<T>{
static T obj; //The type T cannot be static
static T getObj(){ //Methods cannot be static
return obj;
}
}
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Some limitations of generics
• Cannot create arrays
• Limitations on generic exceptions
• A generic class cannot inherit from the Throwable
class. Therefore, we cannot create a generic
exception class.
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Summary
• Generics Definition
• Advantages Generics
• Create Generic Class and Method
• Limit data types
• Generic Placeholder Symbols
• Generic Contructors
• Generic Interfaces
• Some limitations of generics
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