[java] Short form for Java if statement

I know there is a way for writing a Java if statement in short form.

if (city.getName() != null) {
    name = city.getName();
} else {
    name="N/A";
}

Does anyone know how to write the short form for the above 5 lines into one line?

This question is related to java if-statement ternary-operator

The answer is


I'm always forgeting how to use the ?: ternary operator. This supplemental answer is a quick reminder. It is shorthand for if-then-else.

myVariable = (testCondition) ? someValue : anotherValue;

where

  • () holds the if
  • ? means then
  • : means else

It is the same as

if (testCondition) {
    myVariable = someValue;
} else {
    myVariable = anotherValue;
}

To avoid calling .getName() twice I would use

name = city.getName();
if (name == null) name = "N/A";

name = (city.getName() != null) ? city.getName() : "N/A";

Simple & clear:

String manType = hasMoney() ? "rich" : "poor";

long version:

      String manType;
    if (hasMoney()) {
        manType = "rich";
    } else {
        manType = "poor";
    }

or how I'm using it to be clear for other code readers:

 String manType = "poor";
    if (hasMoney())
        manType = "rich";

name = ( (city.getName() == null)? "N/A" : city.getName() );

firstly the condition (city.getName() == null) is checked. If yes, then "N/A" is assigned to name or simply name="N/A" or else the value from city.getName() is assigned to name, i.e. name=city.getName().

Things to look out here:

  1. condition is in the parenthesis followed by a question mark. That's why I write (city.getName() == null)?. Here the question mark is right after the condition. Easy to see/read/guess even!
  2. value left of colon (:) and value right of colon (a) value left of colon is assigned when condition is true, else the value right of colon is assigned to the variable.

here's a reference: http://www.cafeaulait.org/course/week2/43.html


Use org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils:

name = StringUtils.defaultString(city.getName(), "N/A");

You can write if, else if, else statements in short form. For example:

Boolean isCapital = city.isCapital(); //Object Boolean (not boolean)
String isCapitalName = isCapital == null ? "" : isCapital ? "Capital" : "City";      

This is short form of:

Boolean isCapital = city.isCapital();
String isCapitalName;
if(isCapital == null) {
    isCapitalName = "";
} else if(isCapital) {
    isCapitalName = "Capital";
} else {
    isCapitalName = "City";
}

The way to do it is with ternary operator:

name = city.getName() == null ? city.getName() : "N/A"

However, I believe you have a typo in your code above, and you mean to say:

if (city.getName() != null) ...

The ? : operator in Java

In Java you might write:

if (a > b) {
  max = a;
}
else {
  max = b;
}

Setting a single variable to one of two states based on a single condition is such a common use of if-else that a shortcut has been devised for it, the conditional operator, ?:. Using the conditional operator you can rewrite the above example in a single line like this:

max = (a > b) ? a : b;

(a > b) ? a : b; is an expression which returns one of two values, a or b. The condition, (a > b), is tested. If it is true the first value, a, is returned. If it is false, the second value, b, is returned. Whichever value is returned is dependent on the conditional test, a > b. The condition can be any expression which returns a boolean value.


here is one line code

name = (city.getName() != null) ? city.getName() : "N/A";

here is example how it work, run below code in js file and understand the result. This ("Data" != null) is condition as we do in normal if() and "Data" is statement when this condition became true. this " : " act as else and "N/A" is statement for else condition. Hope this help you to understand the logic.

_x000D_
_x000D_
name = ("Data" != null) ? "Data" : "N/A";_x000D_
_x000D_
console.log(name);
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_


You can use ternary operator in java.

Syntax:

Condition ? Block 1 : Block 2

So in your code you can do like this,

name = ((city.getName() == null) ? "N/A" : city.getName());

For more info you can refer this resource.


in java 8:

name = Optional.ofNullable(city.getName()).orElse("N/A")

name = city.getName()!=null?city.getName():"N/A"

1. You can remove brackets and line breaks.

if (city.getName() != null) name = city.getName(); else name = "N/A";

2. You can use ?: operators in java.

Syntax:

Variable = Condition ? BlockTrue : BlockElse;

So in your code you can do like this:

name = city.getName() == null ? "N/A" : city.getName();

3. Assign condition result for Boolean

boolean hasName = city.getName() != null;

EXTRA: for curious

In some languages based in JAVA like Groovy, you can use this syntax:

name = city.getName() ?: "N/A";

The operator ?: assign the value returned from the variable which we are asking for. In this case, the value of city.getName() if it's not null.


Examples related to java

Under what circumstances can I call findViewById with an Options Menu / Action Bar item? How much should a function trust another function How to implement a simple scenario the OO way Two constructors How do I get some variable from another class in Java? this in equals method How to split a string in two and store it in a field How to do perspective fixing? String index out of range: 4 My eclipse won't open, i download the bundle pack it keeps saying error log

Examples related to if-statement

How to use *ngIf else? SQL Server IF EXISTS THEN 1 ELSE 2 What is a good practice to check if an environmental variable exists or not? Using OR operator in a jquery if statement R multiple conditions in if statement Syntax for an If statement using a boolean How to have multiple conditions for one if statement in python Ifelse statement in R with multiple conditions If strings starts with in PowerShell Multiple conditions in an IF statement in Excel VBA

Examples related to ternary-operator

PHP ternary operator vs null coalescing operator Ternary operator in PowerShell What is the idiomatic Go equivalent of C's ternary operator? How to write a PHP ternary operator One-line list comprehension: if-else variants Angularjs if-then-else construction in expression Conditional statement in a one line lambda function in python? inline conditionals in angular.js Ternary operator in AngularJS templates Omitting the second expression when using the if-else shorthand