Java 8 Features

here are dozens of features added to Java 8, the most significant ones are mentioned below −

• Lambda expression − Adds functional processing capability to Java.
• Method references − Referencing functions by their names instead of invoking them directly. Using functions as parameter.
• Default method − Interface to have default method implementation.
• New tools − New compiler tools and utilities are added like ‘jdeps’ to figure out dependencies.
• Stream API − New stream API to facilitate pipeline processing.
• Date Time API − Improved date time API.
• Optional − Emphasis on best practices to handle null values properly.
• Nashorn, JavaScript Engine − A Java-based engine to execute JavaScript code.
  A lambda expression is characterized by the following syntax −

  parameter -> expression body
  

  Following are the important characteristics of a lambda expression −
• Optional type declaration − No need to declare the type of a parameter. The compiler can inference the same from the value of the parameter.
• Optional parenthesis around parameter − No need to declare a single parameter in parenthesis. For multiple parameters, parentheses are required.
• Optional curly braces − No need to use curly braces in expression body if the body contains a single statement.
• Optional return keyword − The compiler automatically returns the value if the body has a single expression to return the value. Curly braces are required to indicate that expression returns a value.

Lambda Expressions Example

Create the following Java program using editor and save in some folder like C:\>JAVA.

Java8Tester.java

public class Java8Tester {
   public static void main(String args[]){
      Java8Tester tester = new Java8Tester();
  
      //with type declaration
      MathOperation addition = (int a, int b) -> a + b;
  
      //with out type declaration
      MathOperation subtraction = (a, b) -> a - b;
  
      //with return statement along with curly braces
      MathOperation multiplication = (int a, int b) -> { return a * b; };
  
      //without return statement and without curly braces
      MathOperation division = (int a, int b) -> a / b;
  
      System.out.println("10 + 5 = " + tester.operate(10, 5, addition));
      System.out.println("10 - 5 = " + tester.operate(10, 5, subtraction));
      System.out.println("10 x 5 = " + tester.operate(10, 5, multiplication));
      System.out.println("10 / 5 = " + tester.operate(10, 5, division));
  
      //with parenthesis
      GreetingService greetService1 = message ->
      System.out.println("Hello " + message);
  
      //without parenthesis
      GreetingService greetService2 = (message) ->
      System.out.println("Hello " + message);
  
      greetService1.sayMessage("Mahesh");
      greetService2.sayMessage("Suresh");
   }
 
   interface MathOperation {
      int operation(int a, int b);
   }
 
   interface GreetingService {
      void sayMessage(String message);
   }
 
   private int operate(int a, int b, MathOperation mathOperation){
      return mathOperation.operation(a, b);
   }
}

• Lambda expressions are used primarily to define inline implementation of a functional interface, i.e., an interface with a single method only.