Which is better?

Assume s1 and s2 are Strings: A.if (s1 == s2) {... } B.if (s1.equals(s2)) {... }

Answer: B s1 == s2 tests whether s1 and s2 reference the same string; s1.equals(s2) tests whether they reference equal strings String s1 = "ABC"; String s2 = s1; String s3 = "ABC"; String s4 = "AB" + "C" All these strings are equal; but s4 is in a different memory location than the others, so the == test yields false

Which is better? Assume String s1; A.if (s1.equals("OK")) {... } B.if ("OK".equals(s1)) {... }

Answer: B s1.equals("OK") sends a message to s1 asking if it is equal to "OK" "OK".equals(s1) sends a message to "OK" asking if it is equal to s1 –This is legal, because "OK" is a String If s1 is null, then: s1.equals("OK") gives a NullPointerException "OK".equals(s1) gives false

Which is better? Assume int numbers[ ] = new int[100]; A.for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) numbers[i] = i; B.for (int i = 0; i <= 99; i++) numbers[i] = i;

Answer: A for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) is better than for (int i = 0; i <= 99; i++) Three reasons: –The first is more traditional –The array size is 100, not 99, so it’s more obvious where the number came from You have to do some arithmetic to get 99 –If you change the array size, a search for 100 won’t find the loop that uses 99

Which is better? Assume int numbers[ ] = new int[100]; A.for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) numbers[i] = i; B.for (int i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) numbers[i] = i;

Answer: B for (int i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) is better than for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) If you later decide to change the size of the numbers array, you only need to do it in the declaration; the for loop that uses length will automatically adjust

Which is better? Assume finished is a boolean variable: A.if (finished == true) {...} B.if (finished) {...}

Answer: B finished == true is redundant: –If finished is true, then finished==true will be true –If finished is false, then finished==true will be false The extra words don’t gain you anything –finished==true might seem more readable to a beginner, but you quickly learn to read the shorter form –Brevity in programming, as in writing, is a virtue –You can avoid the possible mistake of saying if (finished = true) {... }

Which is better? Assume foo, bar, and larger are integers A.if (foo > bar) larger = foo; else larger = bar; B.larger = foo > bar ? foo : bar;

Answer: neither For each of these, you have to look at the code carefully to make sure it is correct larger = Math.max(foo, bar); is easier to read and more obviously correct

Which is better? A.String s = "Hello"; B.String s = new String("Hello");

Answer: A "Hello" is special syntax to implicitly construct a string String s = new String("Hello"); actually constructs two strings: "Hello" constructs the first string, then it is given as a parameter to an explicit constructor, which constructs the second string

Which is better? Suppose p is a Panel with a BorderLayout and okButton is a Button : A.p.add(okButton, BorderLayout.NORTH); B.p.add(okButton, "North"); Note: BorderLayout.NORTH == "North"

Answer: A p.add(okButton, BorderLayout.NORTH); is strongly recommended over the shorter form p.add(okButton, "North") -- but why? Answer: better error detection –If you type p.add(okButton, "north"), there is no error, but it doesn’t do what you want –If you type p.add(okButton, BorderLayout.North) you will get a syntax error, because BorderLayout has no such variable as North

Which is better? Suppose n is an int and s is a String : A.s = Integer.toString(n); B.s = String.valueOf(n); C.s = new Integer(n).toString(); D.s = n + "";

Answer: D I prefer D ( s = n + ""; ) because: –It’s a common idiom, therefore easily recognized –It’s short –It works for any type

Which is better? Assume n is an integer: A.if (n < 0) n = 0; B.if (n < 0) n = 0; C.if (n < 0) { n = 0; }

Answer: C If, later on, you want to add a statement, it’s easy to make this mistake with B: –if (n < 0) System.out.println("n was " + n); n = 0; You won’t make this mistake with A or C –With C (using braces), you don’t have to change anything that’s already there –However, A (all on one line) is often convenient

Which is better? Assume n is an integer: A.int factorial = 1; for (int i = 2; i < n; i++) { factorial *= n; } B.int factorial = 1; int i = 1; for (i = 2; i < n; i++) { factorial *= n; }

Answer: A In most cases, you don’t care about the index of a for loop outside the loop –You typically give it an initial value in the loop –You typically already have its final value in some variable or by some simple computation If you don’t need a variable, you shouldn’t have that variable –It doesn’t help anything, and it might get in the way

Conclusions There are various ways to do things One way may be better than another because: –It’s easier to read and understand –It’s more familiar—the way things are usually done –It’s less error prone, or provides better error detection –It’s more efficient

The End