Java 14 – Record data class

By mkyong | Updated: May 22, 2020

Viewed: 2,021 (+6 pv/w)

Tags: data class java 14 record serialization

This article is introducing the Java 14 new feature – record or data class, defined in JEP 359.

P.S This record data class is a preview feature

Why record?
Java is too verbose, if we want to declare a class, we need to create a lot of tedious and repetitive methods like constructors, accessors, equals(), hashCode(), toString(). Finally, Java 14 introduced the record class to simplify the process by automatically creating all the tedious methods.

A record data class.

public record Point(int x, int y){};

1. Decompile the Java 14 record class.

Try to decompile the above Point.class, and we will get the following source code.

  // IntelliJ API Decompiler stub source generated from a class file
  // Implementation of methods is not available

package com.mkyong.java14.jep359;

public final class Point extends java.lang.Record {
    private final int x;
    private final int y;

    public Point(int x, int y) { /* compiled code */ }

    public java.lang.String toString() { /* compiled code */ }

    public final int hashCode() { /* compiled code */ }

    public final boolean equals(java.lang.Object o) { /* compiled code */ }

    public int x() { /* compiled code */ }

    public int y() { /* compiled code */ }
}

Java 14 record will generate the following variables and methods automatically.

• final class extends java.lang.Record.
• private final instance variables.
• constructors, (with instance variables as arguments)
• toString()
• hashCode() and equals(), for object comparation.
• getter() for the instance variable, no setters, all final variables.

That’s good, and it saved us a few clicks in IDEs.

2. How to use Java 14 Record?

This example shows you how to use a record class.

public record Point(int x, int y){};

package com.mkyong.java14.jep359;

public class PointApp {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        // constructor Point(int x, int y)
        Point p1 = new Point(10, 20);
        // getters int x()
        System.out.println(p1.x());         // 10
        // getters int y()
        System.out.println(p1.y());         // 20

        Point p2 = new Point(11, 22);
        System.out.println(p2.x());         // 11
        System.out.println(p2.y());         // 22

        Point p3 = new Point(10, 20);
        System.out.println(p3.x());         // 10
        System.out.println(p3.y());         // 20

        // hashCode and equals
        System.out.println(p1.hashCode());  // 330
        System.out.println(p2.hashCode());  // 363
        System.out.println(p3.hashCode());  // 330

        System.out.println(p1.equals(p2));  // false
        System.out.println(p1.equals(p3));  // true
        System.out.println(p1.equals(p1));  // true

        // toString()
        System.out.println(p1);             // Point[x=10, y=20]
        System.out.println(p2);             // Point[x=11, y=22]
        System.out.println(p3);             // Point[x=10, y=20]

    }

}

Output

10
20
11
22
10
20
330
363
330
false
true
true
Point[x=10, y=20]
Point[x=11, y=22]
Point[x=10, y=20]

Java developer’s life is much simple now 🙂

3. Override the default methods of Record.

3.1 Review a Location record class, we will override the default record’s constructor and toString().

package com.mkyong.java14.jep359;

public record Location(double latitude, double longitude) {

  // override record default constructor
  public Location {
      this.latitude = latitude * 3;
      this.longitude = longitude * 3;
  }

  // override record toString
  @Override
  public String toString() {
      return "GPS Location{" +
              "latitude=" + latitude +
              ", longitude=" + longitude +
              '}';
  }

}

3.2 Test it.

package com.mkyong.java14.jep359;

public class LocationApp {

  public static void main(String[] args) {

      Location loc = new Location(10, 20);
      System.out.println(loc);

  }
}

Output

GPS Location{latitude=30.0, longitude=60.0}

4. Is Record Serializable?

Can we read or write the record class to a file? The answer is yes, makes record class implements Serializable and it works.

package com.mkyong.java14.jep359;

import java.io.*;

record GPS(double latitude, double longitude) implements Serializable {
};

public class Java14FileApp {

    private static final String FILE_PATH = "location.obj";

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        GPS obj = new GPS(10, 20);
        save(obj, FILE_PATH);

        GPS result = read(FILE_PATH);
        System.out.println(result);

    }

    private static void save(GPS obj, String path) {
        try (ObjectOutputStream oos = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(path))) {
            oos.writeObject(obj);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    private static GPS read(String path) {
        GPS result = null;
        try (ObjectInputStream ois = new ObjectInputStream(new FileInputStream(path))) {
            result = (GPS) ois.readObject();
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException | IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        return result;
    }

}

Output

GPS[latitude=10.0, longitude=20.0]

5. Preview Language Feature

5.1 This record class is a preview feature. We need to use the --enable-preview option to enable it manually.

$ javac --enable-preview --release 14 Point.java

$ java --enable-preview Point

5.2 For IntelliJ IDE, please update to the latest version 2020.1.1; it should support the Java 14 new preview features.

Download Source Code

References

• What is new in Java 14
• JEP 359
• Java Serialization examples