Java Ternary Operator examples

By mkyong | Updated: October 16, 2019

Viewed: 3,709 (+15 pv/w)

Tags: java ternary operator

This example shows you how to write Java ternary operator. Here’s the syntax

condition ? get_this_if_true : get_this_if_false

Java ternary operator syntax

(n > 18) ? true : false;

(n == true) ? 1 : 0;

(n == null) ? n.getValue() : 0;

1. Java ternary operator

1.1 Java example without ternary operator.

package com.mkyong.test;

public class JavaExample1 {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

		int age = 10;
	
        String result = "";

        if (age > 18) {
            result = "Yes, you can vote!";
        } else {
            result = "No, you can't vote!";
        }

        System.out.println(result);

    }

}

Output

No, you can't vote!

1.2 With ternary operator, code can be simplified like this:

package com.mkyong.test;

public class JavaExample1_2 {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        int age = 10;

        String result = (age > 18) ? "Yes, you can vote!" : "No, you can't vote!";

        System.out.println(result);

    }

}

Output

No, you can't vote!

In short, It improves code readability.

2. Null Check

It’s common to use the ternary operator as null check.

package com.mkyong.test;

import com.mkyong.customer.model.Customer;

public class JavaExample2 {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Customer obj = null;

        int age = obj != null ? obj.getAge() : 0;

        System.out.println(age);

    }

}

Output

0

References

• Oracle – Equality, Relational, and Conditional Operators