Scalable Human Blog

Java, one of the stalwarts of the programming world, has undergone numerous updates over the years. Each new release brings enhancements, aiming to simplify developers’ lives and align the language with contemporary programming paradigms. One such enhancement in Java 13 is the second preview of switch expressions. Let’s delve into this feature, unpacking its importance and the refinements it has seen.

1. The Journey of the Switch Statement

Traditionally, the switch statement in Java has been a mechanism to execute different parts of the code based on the value of a variable. However, its design made it somewhat error-prone. Developers had to remember to include break statements to avoid “falling through” to the next case. This had been a source of bugs and unexpected behaviors.

Java 12 introduced the first preview of switch expressions, a feature that promised to modernize the traditional switch statement, making it more readable and less error-prone. This was a welcome change, but as with any new feature, feedback from the community led to further refinements.

2. The Refinement in Java 13

Java 13 saw the second preview of switch expressions, which carried improvements based on developers’ real-world experiences with the Java 12 version. The main refinements included:

• Yield Statement: Java 13 introduced the yield keyword to return a value from a switch expression. This was a shift from the break keyword used in Java 12, making the intent more clear and distinguishable from the traditional switch statement.
  • int day = 2; String dayType = switch (day) { case 1, 7 -> "Weekend"; case 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 -> "Weekday"; default -> throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid day: " + day); };
• Enhanced Code Clarity: The new structure allowed for a more functional style of coding. By treating switch as an expression rather than a statement, it became possible to directly assign the result of the switch to a variable, enhancing readability.

3. The Impact on Developers

Switch expressions have multiple advantages:

• Reduction of Boilerplate: By allowing multiple labels (case values) to be grouped, the need for duplicated code is reduced.
• Safety: The revamped switch expression diminishes the chances of “fall-through” scenarios, reducing bugs linked with missing break statements.
• Improved Readability: The new syntax is more concise and expressive, making code easier to read and understand.

4. Things to Remember

While the new switch expression brings many benefits, developers should remember:

• It’s essential to cover all possible cases or provide a default case to ensure all potential values are addressed.
• Though it’s in its second preview, it’s always a good idea to thoroughly test the new feature in your applications to ensure they behave as expected.

Conclusion

Java 13’s second preview of switch expressions reflects the ongoing commitment of the Java community to refining and modernizing the language. This feature, though seemingly simple, brings a multitude of benefits in terms of readability, safety, and concise coding. As the Java language evolves, it continues to offer developers an efficient and reliable platform for building applications.

📚 Further Reading & Related Topics

If you’re exploring Java’s evolving syntax and functional improvements, these related articles will provide deeper insights:

• Java 14’s Pattern Matching for instanceof: Simplifying Conditional Extractions – Discover how Java continues to reduce boilerplate code and improve readability with pattern matching enhancements.

• Java 16 and the Standardization of Records: Simplifying Data Classes – Learn how Java records simplify data storage, much like how switch expressions improve control flow, making Java code more concise and expressive.