This document discusses 5 missing features in Java and how they are addressed in a new version of Java: 1. Collection literals allow for more concise initialization of collections using syntax like newArrayList("foo", "bar", "baz"). 2. Object literals enable more readable construction of objects using anonymous classes and initializers rather than imperative style. 3. Closures support lambda expressions to concisely represent operations on collections. 4. Properties allow direct access to fields while supporting interception through setters. 5. Multiline strings address the lack of multiline string literals in Java through source code transformations.

1. This is not your father’s Java
Sven Efftinge - itemis

2. 5 Missing Features
Collection Literals
Object Literals
Closures
Properties
Multiline Strings

3. Collection Literals
List<String> names =
new ArrayList<String>();
names.add(“foo”);
names.add(“bar”);
names.add(“baz”);

4. Collection Literals
List<String> names =
new ArrayList<>();
names.add(“foo”);
names.add(“bar”);
names.add(“baz”);

5. Collection Literals
newArrayList(“foo”, “bar”, “baz”)
Static imports, generified method
and var-args!
Do you already use Google Guava?

6. Object Literals
Readable data construction
Java Devs usually flee to some external format,
such as XML or JSON.

7. Object Literals
Java enforces imperative style.
Person p = new Person();
p.setFirstName("Hans");
p.setLastName("Albers");
Address address = new Address();
address.setStreet("Am Germaniahafen 1");
address.setCity("Kiel");
p.setAddress(address);

8. Object Literals
Person p = new Person() {{
firstName = "Hans";
lastName = "Albers";
address = new Address() {{
street = "Am Germaniahafen 1";
city = "Kiel";
}};
}};

9. Object Literals
Person p = new Person() {{
firstName = "Hans";
lastName = "Albers";
address = new Address() {{
street = "Am Germaniahafen 1";
city = "Kiel";
}};
}};
anonymous classes

10. Object Literals
Person p = new Person() {{
firstName = "Hans";
lastName = "Albers";
address = new Address() {{
street = "Am Germaniahafen 1";
city = "Kiel";
}};
}};
Initializer

11. No Closures
My friends’ names in a comma
separated string.
List<Person> myFriends = ...
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
for (Person person : myFriends) {
sb.append(person.getName())
.append(“, “);
}
String result =
sb.toString().substring(0, sb.length()-2);

12. How about this?
List<Person> myFriends = ...
String names = joinFrom(myFriends).getName();
generics and proxies!
LambdaJ - http://code.google.com/p/lambdaj/

13. Closures in Java 8
List<Person> myFriends = ...
List<String> names = myFriends
.map(#{ p -> p.getName(); });

14. Properties
class Person {
public String firstName;
}
Person p = ....
p.firstName = “Horst”;

15. Properties
class Person {
public String firstName;
public void setFirstName(String s) {
firstName = process(s);
}
}
Person p = ....
p.firstName = “Horst”;
Byte code manipulation during class loading!

16. Multiline Strings
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println($(/*
Wow, we finally have
multiline strings in
Java! HOOO!
*/));
}
Source code & stack trace information

17. Beyond Java
Other JVM-Languages
Eclipse Xtend
DSLs
Eclipse Xtext 2.