On Java Generics, History, Use, Caveats v1.1

Yann-Gaël Guéhéneuc
Département de génie informatique et de génie logiciel
This work is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Java
Generics
yann-gael.gueheneuc@polytmtl.ca
Version 1.1
2014/05/12

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Any questions/comments are welcome at
yann-gael.gueheneuc@polymtl.ca
Source code available at
http://www.ptidej.net/tutorials/javagenerics

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2013/03/22 – v1.0 – First version of the slides
2013/04/19 – v1.0.1 – Fixed some typos
2014/05/12 – v1.1 – Added example of mixing objects
Cited PECS explanations
Added more generated bytecodes
Fixed some typos

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Problem
 Sorting lists does not and should not depend
on the type of the elements stored in the list
import java.util.List;
public interface ISort {
public List sort(final List aList);
}

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Problem
Problem: elements may not be comparable
Solution: generic typing with Comparable

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Problem
 Sorting lists assumes (and is sure) that the
elements stored in the list are comparable
public interface ISort<E extends Comparable<E>> {
public List<E> sort(final List<E> aList);
}

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
 General Definitions
 Generics Definitions
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 When to Use Generics
 How to Use Generics
 Caveats with Generics
 Reflecting on Generics
 Conclusion
 Few References

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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History
 1983: Reynolds formalises the parametricity
theorem, called abstraction theorem
– Functions with similar types have similar
properties
John C. Reynolds
*1935
John C. Reynolds ; “Types, abstraction, and parametric polymorphism” ; Information
Processing ; pp. 513–523, North Holland, 1983.

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History
 Parametric polymorphism
– Expressiveness
– Type-safety
• First implementation in ML in 1989 (1976?)
append: [a]  [a]  [a]
Robin Milner, Robert Harper, David MacQueen, and Mads Tofte ; “The Definition Of Standard
ML” ; The MIT Press, 1997.

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History
– Expressiveness
– Type-safety
• First implementation in ML in 1989 (1976?)
append: [a]  [a]  [a]
Robin Milner, Robert Harper, David MacQueen, and Mads Tofte ; “The Definition Of Standard
ML” ; The MIT Press, 1997.
Explicit parametric
polymorphism

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History
 1988: David Musser and Alexander
Stepanov define the concept of generic
programming
– Abstractions from examples of algorithms and
data structure
– Concept of “concept”
David R. Musser and Alexander A. Stepanov ; “Generic Programming” ; International
symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Computation, pp. 13-25, ACM Press, 1988.
Alexander Stepanov
*1950
David Musser
*c.1945

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History
“Generic programming is about abstracting
and classifying algorithms and data
structures. […] Its goal is the incremental
construction of systematic catalogs of useful,
efficient and abstract algorithms and data
structures.”
—Alexander Stepanov

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History
 Generic programming
– Theory of iterators
– Independent of implementation
• C++ Standard Template Library (STL)
const ::std::vector<Foo>::iterator theEnd = theContainer.end();
for ( ::std::vector<Foo>::iterator i = theContainer.begin();
i != theEnd;
++i ) {
Foo &cur_element = *i;
// Do something…
}

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History
 1994: the GoF defines parameterized types
“Also known as generics (Ada, Eiffel) and
templates (C++)”
“A type that leaves some constituent types
unspecified. The unspecified types are supplied
as parameters at the point of use.”

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History  19771980: Ada
– 2005: generic container library
 1985: Eiffel
Bertrand Meyer ; Object-Oriented Software
Construction ; Prentice Hall, 1988.
 1991: C++
http://www.stroustrup.com/hopl2.pdf
– 1994: STL (under Stepanov’s guidance)
 2004: Java
– Type erasure
 2005: C#
– Reified generics

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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Problem
“Implement generic algorithms that work on
a collection of different types”
—The Java Tutorials, Oracle
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/generics/why.html

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Problem
public interface ISort {
public List sort(final List aList);
}

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Problem
Problem: elements may not be comparable
Solution: generic typing with Comparable

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Problem
}

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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Special Case
package net.ptidej.generics.java;
public class Example1 {
public static void main(final String[] args) {
final Object[] arrayOfObjects = new Object[10];
final String[] arrayOfStrings = new String[20];
System.out.println(arrayOfObjects.length);
System.out.println(arrayOfStrings.length);
System.out.println(arrayOfObjects[0]);
System.out.println(arrayOfStrings[2]);
System.out.println(arrayOfObjects.clone());
System.out.println(arrayOfStrings.toString());
}
}

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Special Case
 Array are (often) predefined generic types

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Special Case
 Array are (often) predefined generic types
Any type can go here

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Special Case
 Every new array instantiates a new concrete
type (or reuse an existing concrete type)

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Special Case
 Every new array instantiates a new concrete
type (or reuse an existing concrete type)
New concrete type
(pseudo-type in Java)

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Special Case
 Syntax and semantics built in the compiler

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Special Case
Pseudo-field

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Special Case
Pseudo-field
Access, a[b]

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Special Case
Pseudo-field
Access, a[b]
In the Java programming language
arrays are objects (§4.3.1), are
dynamically created, and may be
assigned to variables of type Object
(§4.3.2). All methods of class Object
may be invoked on an array.
—JLS

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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General Definitions
 Polymorphism
– Ad-hoc polymorphism
– Subtype polymorphism
– Parametric polymorphism
• Implicit
• Explicit

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General Definitions
 Ad-hoc polymorphism
– Method overloading
– Not a feature of the type system
– Dispatch mechanism
• Typically, dispatch depends on the concrete type of
the receiver of a method
Christopher Strachey ; “Fundamental Concepts in Programming Languages” ; Higher-Order and
Symbolic Computation, volume 13, issue 1-2, pp. 11-49, Springer, 2000.

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General Definitions
 Ad-hoc polymorphism
– A name may have more than one meaning
• It may refer to more than one algorithm
– The choice of the algorithm is context-
dependent but know at compile-time
(Early binding when compared to the following
subtype polymorphism)

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General Definitions
 Subtype polymorphism
– Liskov substitution principle
• Let q(x) be a property provable about objects x
of type T. Then q(y) should be true for objects y
of type S where S is a subtype of T
(Late binding when compared to the previous
ad hoc polymorphism)
Barbara Liskov
*1939

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General Definitions
import java.awt.Frame;
import java.lang.Long;
Object o;
o = new Long(1);
System.out.println(o.toString());
o = new Frame();
}
}

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General Definitions
import java.awt.Frame;
import java.lang.Long;
Object o;
o = new Long(1);
o = new Frame();
}
}
Declared type vs.
concrete types

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General Definitions
public class NonGenericBox {
private Object object;
public void set(final Object object) {
this.object = object;
}
public Object get() {
return this.object;
}
}
public void useOfNonGenericBox() {
final NonGenericBox aNonGenericBox = new NonGenericBox();
aNonGenericBox.set(new String());
final String myString = (String) aNonGenericBox.get();
System.out.println(myString);
}

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General Definitions
}
return this.object;
}
}
final String myString = (String) aNonGenericBox.get();
}
Must cast to ask
compiler to allow
the assignment

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General Definitions
}
return this.object;
}
}
final Integer myInteger = (Integer) aNonGenericBox.get();
System.out.println(myInteger);
}

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General Definitions
}
return this.object;
}
}
}
Legal!

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General Definitions
We use Java vocabulary in the following

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General Definitions
Type parameter

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General Definitions
Type parameter
Type variable

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General Definitions
Type parameter
Generic type
declaration
Type variable

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General Definitions
Type parameter
Generic type
declaration
Parameterised
methods
Type variable

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General Definitions
Type parameter
Generic type
declaration
Type argument
Parameterised
methods
Type variable

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General Definitions
public class GenericBox<T> {
private T t;
public void set(final T t) {
this.t = t;
}
public T get() {
return this.t;
}
}
public void useOfGenericBox() {
final GenericBox<String> aGenericBox = new GenericBox<String>();
aGenericBox.set(new String());
final String myString = aGenericBox.get();
}

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General Definitions
private T t;
this.t = t;
}
public T get() {
return this.t;
}
}
}

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General Definitions
private T t;
this.t = t;
}
public T get() {
return this.t;
}
}
}
Illegal!

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General Definitions
System.out.println(Util.<String>compare("a", "b"));
System.out.println(Util.<String>compare(new String(""), new Long(1)));
System.out.println(Util.compare(new String(""), new Long(1)));
}
}
public class Util {
public static <T> boolean compare(T t1, T t2) {
return t1.equals(t2);
}
}

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General Definitions
}
}
public class Util {
}
}
Generic method

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General Definitions
}
}
public class Util {
}
}
Generic method
Explicit calls

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General Definitions
}
}
public class Util {
}
}
Generic method
Explicit calls
Implicit call

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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Generics Definitions
“A generic type is a generic class or
interface that is parameterized over types.”

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 Java generics are one implementation of
parametric polymorphism
– Type erasure
 Type parameters can be constrained
– Lower bounds
– Upper bounds
to obtain bounded type parameters

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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– Predicative
• ML
– Impredicative
• System F
• C++, Java 1.5
– Bounded
• C++ in one way, Java 1.5 in another
Martín Abadi, Luca Cardelli, Pierre-Louis Curien ; “Formal Parametric Polymorphism” ; SRC
research report, issue 109, Digital, Systems Research Center, 1993.

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 Predicative parametric polymorphism
– A type T containing a type variable  may not be
used in such a way that  is instantiated to a
polymorphic type

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polymorphic type
final GenericBox<List<String>> aGenericBox = new GenericBox<List<String>>();

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polymorphic type

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 Impredicative parametric polymorphism
– Example 1
– Example 2

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– Example 1
– Example 2

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– Example 1
– Example 2
}

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 Bounded parametric polymorphism
The type E of the list elements must implement
the interface Comparable
}

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 Bounded parametric polymorphism
“Bounded genericity is less about limiting the
types accepted by [a] generic class […] and
more about giving the generic class a more
complete information on its generic type T […] to
validate the call to its methods at compile time.”
—paercebal
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6803100/achieving-bounded-genericity-in-c/6803124

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Generics
Definitions
final Sort<A> sort = new Sort<A>();
final List<A> listOfAs = new ArrayList<A>();
sort.sort(listOfAs);
System.out.println();
}
}
class Sort<E extends Comparable<E>> {
public List<E> sort(final List<E> aList) {
return // TO DO
}
}
class A implements Comparable<A> {
public int compareTo(final A o) {
return // TO DO
}
}
class B implements Comparable<B> {
public int compareTo(final B o) {
return // TO DO
}
}

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Generics
Definitions
final Sort<A> sort = new Sort<A>();
final List<A> listOfAs = new ArrayList<A>();
sort.sort(listOfAs);
System.out.println();
}
}
class Sort<E extends Comparable<E>> {
public List<E> sort(final List<E> aList) {
return // TO DO
}
}
class A implements Comparable<A> {
public int compareTo(final A o) {
return // TO DO
}
}
class B implements Comparable<B> {
public int compareTo(final B o) {
return // TO DO
}
}
Must be comparable (with itself)

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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 Other bounded parametric polymorphisms
Java
C++

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 Other bounded parametric polymorphisms
“This feature is provided as-is and where-used
by the compiler: in a way similar to duck typing,
but resolved at compile-time. [Compilation
succeeds] only if the generic type class
[declares] the [expected method].”
—paercebal
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6803100/achieving-bounded-genericity-in-c/6803124

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Generics
Definitions class X {
public:
virtual void kewl_method() { /* etc. */ }
};
class Y: public X {
public:
};
class Z {
public:
};
class K {
public:
virtual void wazaa() { /* etc. */ }
};
template<typename T>
class A {
public:
void foo() {
T t;
t.kewl_method();
}
};

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Generics
public:
};
class Y: public X {
public:
};
class Z {
public:
};
class K {
public:
};
class A {
public:
void foo() {
T t;
t.kewl_method();
}
};
No common type

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Generics
public:
};
class Y: public X {
public:
};
class Z {
public:
};
class K {
public:
};
class A {
public:
void foo() {
T t;
t.kewl_method();
}
};
Common API

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Generics
Definitions
int main()
{
// A's constraint is : implements kewl_method
A<X> x ; x.foo() ;
// OK: x implements kewl_method
A<Y> y ; y.foo() ;
// OK: y derives from X
A<Z> z ; z.foo() ;
// OK: z implements kewl_method
A<K> k ; k.foo() ;
// NOT OK : K won't compile: /main.cpp error:
// ‘class K’ has no member named ‘kewl_method’
return 0;
}

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Generics
Definitions
“Static” duct typing
int main()
{
// A's constraint is : implements kewl_method
A<X> x ; x.foo() ;
// OK: x implements kewl_method
A<Y> y ; y.foo() ;
// OK: y derives from X
A<Z> z ; z.foo() ;
// OK: z implements kewl_method
A<K> k ; k.foo() ;
// NOT OK : K won't compile: /main.cpp error:
// ‘class K’ has no member named ‘kewl_method’
return 0;
}

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 Duck typing
– Dynamically-typed languages: Smalltalk
– Statically-typed language: C++
“When I see a bird that walks like a duck and
swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call
that bird a duck.”
—Alex Martelli or James W. Riley

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 Dynamically-typed languages: Smalltalk
Object subclass: #D
instanceVariableNames: ''
classVariableNames: ''
poolDictionaries: ''
category: 'CSE3009'.
D compile: 'needAFooMethod: anObjectWithaFooMethod
"Example of duck typing"
anObjectWithaFooMethod foo.'.

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Object subclass: #D
D compile: 'needAFooMethod: anObjectWithaFooMethod
"Example of duck typing"
anObjectWithaFooMethod foo.'.
Any object with a
foo method will do

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SMUtilities subclass: #D1
D1 compile: 'foo
Transcript show: ''D1'' ; cr.'.
PointArray variableWordSubclass: #D2
D2 compile: 'foo

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SMUtilities subclass: #D1
D1 compile: 'foo
PointArray variableWordSubclass: #D2
D2 compile: 'foo
Two unrelated
classes

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d := D new.
d needAFooMethod: (D1 new).
d needAFooMethod: (D2 new).
D1
D2

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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When to Use Generics
 Scenario 1: you want to enforce type safety
for containers and remove the need for
typecasts when using these containers
public final class Example1 {
final List untypedList = new ArrayList();
untypedList.add(new String());
final Integer i = (Integer) untypedList.get(0);
final List<String> typedList = new ArrayList<String>();
typedList.add(new String());
final Integer i = (Integer) typedList.get(0);
}
}
Does not compile

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When to Use Generics
 Scenario 2: you want to build generic
algorithms that work on several types of
(possible unrelated) things
}

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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How to Use Generics
 Lots of resources
 Lots of discussions
 First step http://docs.oracle.com/javase/
tutorial/java/generics/index.html
 Then, http://stackoverflow.com/search?
q=%22java+generics%22
– 1,323 results as of 2013/04/14

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How to Use Generics
 Typed containers, before
import java.util.ArrayList;
public final class Example1Before {
}
}

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How to Use Generics
 Typed containers, what happens?
}
}

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How to Use Generics
 Typed containers, what happens?
}
}
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ClassCastException:
java.lang.String cannot be cast to java.lang.Integer
at net.ptidej.generics.java.Example1Before.main(Example1Before.java:29)

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How to Use Generics
 Typed containers, another look
}
}

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How to Use Generics
 Typed containers, another look
}
}
List and ArrayList
are raw types, compiler
cannot typecheck

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How to Use Generics
 Typed containers, solution
}
}

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How to Use Generics
 Typed containers, solution
}
}
Does not compile because String
and Interger are not compatible

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How to Use Generics
 Family of algorithms, before
public interface Enumeration {
/**
* Tests if this enumeration contains more elements.
*
* @return <code>true</code> if and only if this enumeration object
* contains at least one more element to provide;
* <code>false</code> otherwise.
*/
boolean hasMoreElements();
/**
* Returns the next element of this enumeration if this enumeration
* object has at least one more element to provide.
*
* @return the next element of this enumeration.
* @exception NoSuchElementException if no more elements exist.
*/
Object nextElement();
}

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How to Use Generics
 Family of algorithms, what happens?
/**
*
*/
/**
*
*/
}

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How to Use Generics
 Family of algorithms, what happens?
/**
*
*/
/**
*
*/
}
Forces clients
to use Object

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How to Use Generics
 Family of algorithms, another look
/**
*
*/
/**
*
*/
}

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How to Use Generics
 Family of algorithms, another look
/**
*
*/
/**
*
*/
}
Clients must know the
type of the next element

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How to Use Generics
 Family of algorithms, solution
public interface Enumeration<E> {
/**
*
*/
/**
*
*/
E nextElement();
}

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How to Use Generics
/**
*
*/
/**
*
*/
E nextElement();
}

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How to Use Generics
/**
*
*/
/**
*
*/
E nextElement();
}
Clients can specify the
type of the next element

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Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

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Caveats with Generics
 ints and Integers, before
public interface List extends Collection {
...
boolean add(Object o);
boolean remove(Object o);
Object remove(int index);
...
}

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 ints and Integers, now
public interface List<E> extends Collection<E> {
...
boolean add(E e);
E remove(int index);
...
}

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 ints and Integers, now
public interface List<E> extends Collection<E> {
...
boolean add(E e);
E remove(int index);
...
}

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 ints and Integers, what happens?
public class Autoboxing {
public static void main(String[] args) {
final List<Integer> list = new ArrayList<Integer>();
list.add(1);
list.add(new Integer(2));
list.remove(1);
list.remove(new Integer(1));
System.out.println(list.size());
}
}

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list.add(1);
list.remove(1);
}
}
Autoboxing from
int to Integer

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list.add(1);
list.remove(1);
}
}
Autoboxing from
int to Integer
Exact parameter
matching takes
over autoboxing

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list.add(1);
list.remove(1);
}
}
Autoboxing from
int to Integer
Exact parameter
matching takes
over autoboxing
0

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 Use of clone(), before
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3941850/
java-how-to-use-clone-and-what-about-the-cast-check
public class CloningBefore {
final ArrayList list1 = new ArrayList();
list1.add(new Integer(1));
final ArrayList list2 = (ArrayList) list1.clone();
System.out.println(list2);
}
}

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 Use of clone(), before
java-how-to-use-clone-and-what-about-the-cast-check
public class CloningBefore {
final ArrayList list1 = new ArrayList();
final ArrayList list2 = (ArrayList) list1.clone();
}
}
No complains
for the compiler

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 Use of clone(), now
public class CloningNow {
final ArrayList<Integer> list1 = new ArrayList<Integer>();
list1.add(1);
final ArrayList<Integer> list2 = (ArrayList<Integer>) list1.clone();
}
}

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list1.add(1);
}
}

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list1.add(1);
}
}
Type safety: Unchecked cast from
Object to ArrayList<Integer>

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 Use of clone(), what happens?
– Compiler is now “stricter”
– Compiler warns of a type-unsafe operation

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 Use of clone(), solution
– Use copy-constructor
to obtain type-safety and remove any warning
public class CloningSolution {
list1.add(1);
final ArrayList<Integer> list2 = new ArrayList<Integer>(list1);
}
}

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– Use copy-constructor
to obtain type-safety and remove any warning
public class CloningSolution {
list1.add(1);
final ArrayList<Integer> list2 = new ArrayList<Integer>(list1);
}
}

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– Suppress warning
public class CloningSolutionWarning {
list1.add(1);
@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
}
}

122/171
– Suppress warning
… not really a solution!
public class CloningSolutionWarning {
list1.add(1);
@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
}
}

123/171
 Instantiating a type variable, problem
public class InstantiatingTypeParameterProblem<T> {
...
}
public T getInstanceOfT (){
// Neither lines work:
return new T();
return T.newInstance();
}
...
}

124/171
...
}
return new T();
}
...
}
Cannot instantiate
the type T

125/171
...
}
return new T();
}
...
}
Cannot instantiate
the type T
The method newInstance()
is undefined for the type T

126/171
 Instantiating a type variable, what happens?
The type parameter T is erased at compile-time,
the JVM cannot use it at run-time
...
}
return new T();
}
...
}

127/171
 Instantiating a type variable, solution #1
– Pass the class of T as parameter
public class InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution1<T> {
...
}
public T getInstanceOfT(final Class<T> classOfT) {
return classOfT.newInstance();
}
...
}

128/171
– Pass a factory of T as parameter
interface Factory<T> {
T getInstance();
}
class Something {
public static class FactoryOfSomething implements Factory<Something> {
public Something getInstance() {
return new Something();
}
}
}
public class InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution2<T> {
...
}
public T getInstanceOfT(final Factory<T> factory) {
return factory.getInstance();
}
...
}

129/171
– Prevent type erasure by specialising an
interesting class
public class InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution3 extends GenericClass<String> {
final InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution3 i =
new InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution3();
i.foo();
}
public void foo() {
final Object s = this.getInstanceOfT();
System.out.println(s.getClass());
}
}

130/171
interesting class
public class InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution3 extends GenericClass<String> {
final InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution3 i =
new InstantiatingTypeParameterSolution3();
i.foo();
}
public void foo() {
final Object s = this.getInstanceOfT();
System.out.println(s.getClass());
}
}
Type argument
and subclassing

131/171
interesting class
import java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType;
abstract class GenericClass<T> {
public T getInstanceOfT() {
final ParameterizedType pt =
(ParameterizedType) this.getClass().getGenericSuperclass();
final String parameterClassName =
pt.getActualTypeArguments()[0].toString().split("s")[1];
T parameter = (T) Class.forName(parameterClassName).newInstance();
return parameter;
}
}

132/171
interesting class
import java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType;
abstract class GenericClass<T> {
public T getInstanceOfT() {
final ParameterizedType pt =
(ParameterizedType) this.getClass().getGenericSuperclass();
final String parameterClassName =
pt.getActualTypeArguments()[0].toString().split("s")[1];
T parameter = (T) Class.forName(parameterClassName).newInstance();
return parameter;
}
}
The superclass is generic,
the subclass specialises it

133/171
 Implicit generic methods
– As with explicit generic methods, use Object in
the generated bytecodes
public final class Example4 {
System.out.println(Util4.<String> compare("a", "b"));
// The following line, as expected, produces a type mismatch error
// System.out.println(Util.<String> compare(new String(""), new Long(1)));
System.out.println(Util4.compare(new String(""), new Long(1)));
}
}
final class Util4 {
public static <T> boolean compare(final T t1, final T t2) {
}
}

134/171
 Implicit generic methods
– As with explicit generic methods, use Object in
the generated bytecodes
to ensure backward-compatibility with
non-generic Java code
// Method descriptor #15 ([Ljava/lang/String;)V
// Stack: 7, Locals: 1
public static void main(java.lang.String[] args);
…
14 invokevirtual net.ptidej.generics.java.Util44.compare(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object) : boolean [29]
…
47 invokevirtual net.ptidej.generics.java.Util44.compare(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object) : boolean [29]
…

135/171
 Multiple bounds
“A type variable with multiple bounds is a
subtype of all the types listed in the bound.
If one of the bounds is a class, it must be
specified first.”

136/171
 Multiple bounds
class Example8A {
}
interface Example8B {
}
interface Example8C {
}
class Example8D<T extends Example8A & Example8B & Example8C> {
}
class Example8Test1 extends Example8A implements Example8B, Example8C {
}
class Example8Test2 extends Example8A {
}
final Example8D<Example8Test1> d1 = new Example8D<Example8Test1>();
}
}

137/171
 Multiple bounds
class Example8A {
}
interface Example8B {
}
interface Example8C {
}
class Example8D<T extends Example8A & Example8B & Example8C> {
}
class Example8Test1 extends Example8A implements Example8B, Example8C {
}
class Example8Test2 extends Example8A {
}
}
}
Bound mismatch: The type Test2 is
not a valid substitute for the bounded
parameter <T extends …>

138/171
 Upper- and lower-bounded wildcards
– Type parameters can be constrained to be
• Any subtype of a type, extends
• Any supertype of a type, super
– Useful with collections of items
}

139/171
 PECS
– Collections that produce extends
– Collections that consume super
Always from the point of view of the collection
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2723397/java-generics-what-is-pecs

140/171
 PECS
– Collections that produce extends
• They produce elements of some types
• These types must be “topped” to tell the client that it
can safely expect to receive Somthing
• Any item from the collection is a Somthing (in the
sense of Liskov’s substitution)
Collection<? extends Something>

141/171
 PECS
– Collections that consume super
• They consume elements of some types
• These types must be “bottomed” to tell the client that
it can safely put Something
• Any item in the collection is “at most” Something (in
the sense of Liskov’s substitution)
Collection<? super Something>

142/171
 PECS
Another way to remember the producer /
consumer distinction is to think of a method
signature. If you have a method
useList(List), you are consuming the List
and so need covariance / extends. If your
method is List buildList(), then you are
producing the List and will need
contravariance / super
—Adapted from Raman

143/171
 PECS
– Collections that produce and consume must just
use one type parameter
• Not legal to combine extends and super
Collection<Something>

144/171
 Ambiguity between parameterised types
public static String f(List<String> list) {
System.out.println("strings");
return null;
}
public static Integer f(List<Integer> list) {
System.out.println("numbers");
return null;
}
f(Arrays.asList("asdf"));
f(Arrays.asList(123));
}
}

145/171
 Ambiguity between parameterised types
public static String f(List<String> list) {
System.out.println("strings");
return null;
}
public static Integer f(List<Integer> list) {
System.out.println("numbers");
return null;
}
f(Arrays.asList("asdf"));
f(Arrays.asList(123));
}
}
Legality depends on compiler
• Eclipse 3.5 says yes
• Eclipse 3.6 says no
• Intellij 9 says yes
• Sun javac 1.6.0_20 says yes
• GCJ 4.4.3 says yes
• GWT compiler says yes
• Crowd says no

146/171
Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

147/171
Reflecting on Generics
 Java generics use type erasure
– (Most) Type parameters / arguments are erased
at compile-time and exist at run-time only as
annotations
– Ensure backward-compatibility with pre-generic
Java code
– Limit access to type parameters / arguments
using reflection

148/171
 Type-safe use of getClass()
is-there-a-clean-way-to-assign-the-class-of-a-generic-type-to-a-variable
class Example11A {
}
final Example11A anA1 = new Example11A();
final Class<Example11A> anA1Class =
(Class<Example11A>) anA1.getClass();
System.out.println(anA1Class);
final Class<? extends Example11A> anA2Class = anA2.getClass();
}
}

149/171
class Example11A {
}
}
}
Class<capture#1-of ?
extends Example11A> to
Class<Example11A>

150/171
class Example11A {
}
}
}
Class<capture#1-of ?
extends Example11A> to
Class<Example11A>
No warning

151/171
class MyList extends ArrayList<Integer> {
}
final List<Integer> list1 = new ArrayList<Integer>();
final Class<List<Integer>> list1Class =
(Class<List<Integer>>) list1.getClass();
System.out.println(list1Class);
final MyList list2 = new MyList();
Class<? extends List<? extends Integer>> list2Class = list2.getClass();
}
}

152/171
}
}
}
Class<capture#4-of ? extends
List> to Class<List<Integer>>

153/171
}
}
}
Class<capture#4-of ? extends
List> to Class<List<Integer>>
No warning

154/171
 Use of newInstance()
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2592642/type-safety-unchecked-cast-from-object
class Example10A {
}
final Class<Example10A> clazz1 = Example10A.class;
final Example10A anA1 = clazz1.newInstance();
System.out.println(anA1);
final Class<?> clazz2 = Class.forName(
"net.ptidej.generics.java.Example9A");
final Example10A anA2 = (Example10A) clazz2.newInstance();
System.out.println(anA2);
}
}

155/171
 Obtaining the type of a type parameter
– Due to type erasure
• Type parameters are kept as annotations
• Type arguments disappear
Except for anonymous/local classes!
get-type-of-a-generic-parameter-in-java-with-reflection

156/171
public final class Voodoo0 extends TestCase {
public static void chill(final List<?> aListWithSomeType) {
CommonTest.assertNotEqualAsExpected(
aListWithSomeType,
SpiderManVoodoo0.class);
}
public static void main(String... args) {
Voodoo0.chill(new ArrayList<SpiderManVoodoo0>());
}
public void test() {
Voodoo0.main(new String[0]);
}
}
class SpiderManVoodoo0 {
}

157/171
aListWithSomeType,
}
Voodoo0.chill(new ArrayList<SpiderManVoodoo0>());
}
}
}
}

158/171
public static void main(java.lang.String...);
flags: ACC_PUBLIC, ACC_STATIC, ACC_VARARGS
Code:
stack=2, locals=1, args_size=1
0: new #32 // class java/util/ArrayList
3: dup
4: invokespecial #34 // Method java/util/ArrayList."<init>":()V
7: invokestatic #35 // Method chill:(Ljava/util/List;)V
10: return
LineNumberTable:
line 38: 0
line 39: 10
LocalVariableTable:
Start Length Slot Name Signature
0 11 0 args [Ljava/lang/String;

159/171
aListWithSomeType,
}
Voodoo1.chill(new ArrayList<SpiderManVoodoo1>() {});
}
}
}
}

160/171
aListWithSomeType,
}
}
}
}
}

161/171
aListWithSomeType,
}
}
}
}
}

162/171
aListWithSomeType,
}
}
}
}
}
Anonymous/local class
stores types information

163/171
Code:
0: new #32 // class net/ptidej/generics/java/erasure/Voodoo1$1
3: dup
4: invokespecial #34 // Method net/ptidej/generics/java/erasure/Voodoo1$1."<init>":()V
10: return
LineNumberTable:
line 38: 0
line 41: 10
LocalVariableTable:

164/171
Code:
0: new #32 // class net/ptidej/generics/java/erasure/Voodoo1$1
3: dup
4: invokespecial #34 // Method net/ptidej/generics/java/erasure/Voodoo1$1."<init>":()V
10: return
LineNumberTable:
line 38: 0
line 41: 10
LocalVariableTable:

165/171
// Compiled from Voodoo1.java (version 1.7 : 51.0, super bit)
// Signature: Ljava/util/ArrayList<Lca/polymtl/ptidej/generics/java/erasure/SpiderManVoodoo1;>;
class net.ptidej.generics.java.erasure.Voodoo1$1 extends java.util.ArrayList {
...
// Method descriptor #11 ()V
// Stack: 1, Locals: 1
Voodoo1$1();
0 aload_0 [this]
1 invokespecial java.util.ArrayList() [13]
4 return
Line numbers:
[pc: 0, line: 38]
[pc: 4, line: 1]
Local variable table:
[pc: 0, pc: 5] local: this index: 0 type: new ....java.erasure.Voodoo1(){}
...
}

166/171
Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

167/171
Conclusion
 Java generics
“Implement generic algorithms that work on
a collection of different types”

168/171
Conclusion
 Scenario 1: you want to enforce type safety
for containers and remove the need for
typecasts when using these containers
 Scenario 2: you want to build generic
algorithms that work on several types of
(possible unrelated) things

169/171
Conclusion
 Easy to use in simple cases
 Some caveats, though
 Can be very tricky is corner cases
– Use them sparingly and purposefully

170/171
Outline
 History
 Problem
 Special Case
– Parametric
Polymorphism
– Other Bounded
Parametric
Polymorphisms
 Conclusion
 Few References

171/171
Outline
 In no particular order
– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generics_in_Java
– http://www.angelikalanger.com/GenericsFAQ/FAQ
Sections/TechnicalDetails.html#FAQ502
– http://www.uio.no/studier/emner/matnat/ifi/INF3110/h05/
lysark/Types.pdf
– http://www.slideshare.net/SFilipp/java-puzzle-167104
– http://www.jquantlib.org/index.php/Using_TypeTokens_
to_retrieve_generic_parameters#Anonymous_classes
– http://www.clear.rice.edu/comp310/JavaResources/ generics/
– http://gafter.blogspot.kr/2006/12/super-type-tokens.html

On Java Generics, History, Use, Caveats v1.1

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On Java Generics, History, Use, Caveats v1.1