Generic Array in Java: Best Practices and Techniques

A generic array is an array that is parameterized by a type. This means that the type of the elements in the array is specified as a type of parameter when the array is created.

The article lists the ways in which you can create a generic array in Java.

Table of Contents

Creating Generic Array In Java

You can create a generic array in Java using the new operator or typecasting.

Using The new Operator

To create a generic array using the new operator, you can use the following syntax:


Type[] array = new Type[size];
[] arsize];

Here, Type is the type parameter that specifies the type of the elements in the array, and size is an integer value that specifies the size of the array.

For example, to create an array of integers with a size of 10, you can do the following:


Integer[] array = new Integer[10];

Note: This syntax requires the type parameter to be a reference type. You cannot use primitive types like int, double, etc., as the type parameter. If you want to use a primitive type as the type parameter, you can use one of the wrapper classes corresponding to the primitive type (e.g., Integer for int, Double for double, etc.).

Using type Casting

To create a generic array using type casting, you can use the following syntax:


Type[] array = (Type[]) new Object[size];

Here, Type is the type parameter that specifies the type of the elements in the array, and size is an integer value that specifies the size of the array.

For example, to create an array of integers with a size of 10, you can do the following:


Integer[] array = (Integer[]) new Object[10];

This syntax allows you to use any type as the type parameter, including primitive types. However, using this syntax is generally not recommended, as it can lead to runtime errors if the type parameter is incompatible with the actual type of the elements in the array. Specifically, this syntax generates an unchecked warning at compile time, which indicates that the code is potentially unsafe. In addition, if the type parameter is incompatible with the type of elements in the array, it can result in a ClassCastException at runtime.

See Also: What Are The Core Java Topics

You can also convert an array to an object in JavaScript.

Examples

Here are some examples of creating a generic array in Java:

To create an array of strings with a size of 5


String[] array1 = new String[5];

2. To create an array of integers with a size of 10


Integer[] array2 = (Integer[]) new Object[10];

3. To create an array of ints with a size of 15 (not recommended)


int[] array3 = (int[]) new Object[15];

In the third example, the type parameter is int, a primitive type. This syntax is not recommended, as it generates an unchecked warning at compile time and can result in a ClassCastException at runtime if the actual type of the elements in the array is not compatible with int.

Why Use Generic arrays?

There are several benefits to using a generic array in Java. One benefit is that they allow you to specify the type of the elements in the array at the time of creation, which can help you avoid runtime errors due to type mismatch.

For example, if you create an array of integers and then try to add a string to the array, you will get a runtime error if the array is not a generic array. With a generic array, you can specify that the array can only hold integers, so you will get a compile-time error if you try to add a string to the array.

Another benefit of generic arrays is that they allow you to create arrays of parameterized types. This can be useful when you want to create an array of objects that have a type parameter.

For example, you can create an array of List objects, where the type parameter specifies the type of elements the List can hold.


List<Integer>[] array = (List<Integer>[]) new List[5];

This creates an array of List objects that can only hold integers. Generic arrays can also make your code more readable and maintainable, as it clarifies what types of elements you can use in the array.

FAQS

Why can't I create Generic array Java?

In Java programming, you generally cannot directly create Generic arrays. This is mainly because Java considers Generic arrays not sound and does not allow you to create them directly. While not able to directly create Generic arrays, you can still create these arrays using typecasting and new operators, which cast a specific array as Generic.

How do you initialize an array with a Generic?

In Java, you can initialize a specific array by adding square brackets notations. You must use the ArrayList class to initialize the Generic array. This allows you to add any type of value. You can additionally initialize a general array by creating your own implementation. You must use the set() and get() methods to construct here.

How to make a custom array list in Java?

In order to create a custom list in Java, you must first build an ArrayList Object. The object needs to be a class data type. Then, define the class and fill the required values into the constructor. Link these entities to global variables. You can also create a custom array list extending and implementing Java.util.AbstractList class.

How to create a Generic HashSet in Java?

In Java, the correct syntax for a Generic Set is Set set = new HashSet(). T is general in the syntax here, and you can replace it with any strings, integers, or characters. You can additionally use add() method to add any elements to your set if needed. One can generally find the Set interface in Java.util package.

Is there any difference between an ArrayList and a Generic list?

The core difference between an ArrayList and a Generic list lies in the fact that ArrayList is a class while a list is an interface. Lists are for creating an index of its elements and index numbers, while ArrayList creates a dynamic array meant to contain objects. Python carefully sorts elements already present in a list, while ArrayList grows dynamically.

Conclusion

This article taught us how to create a generic array in Java using the new operator and type casting. We have also seen examples of creating generic arrays with different types and discussed the benefits of using generic arrays.

It is important to note that using type-casting syntax is generally not advisable, as it leads to runtime errors and generates an unchecked warning at compile time. Instead, using the new operator to create generic arrays is usually better.

StrobeCorp