Java MCQ: What is the primary purpose of Generics in Java?
Answer:
Explanation:
The primary purpose of Generics in Java is to provide a mechanism for defining classes, interfaces, and methods with type parameters, which can be replaced with actual types when the generic class, interface, or method is used. Generics allow for code reusability because the same code can be used with different types, and type safety because it ensures that the type of data being processed is known at compile-time, reducing the chances of runtime errors.
Before the introduction of Generics, Java collections and other data structures would typically use Object as a type for storing elements, which required type casting when retrieving elements. This casting could lead to ClassCastException if the wrong type was cast. With Generics, the type is specified when the collection or data structure is created, eliminating the need for casting and allowing the compiler to check the correctness of the types being used.
Overall, Generics improve code reliability, make the code easier to read and maintain, and help prevent bugs by catching type-related errors at compile-time rather than at runtime.
Reference links:
https://www.rameshfadatare.com/learn-java-programming/
https://www.javaguides.net/p/java-tutorial-learn-java-programming.html