Use of "instanceof" in Java
JavaOperatorsInstanceofJava Problem Overview
> What is the 'instanceof' operator used for?
I learned that Java has the instanceof
operator. Can you elaborate where it is used and what are its advantages?
Java Solutions
Solution 1 - Java
Basically, you check if an object is an instance of a specific class. You normally use it, when you have a reference or parameter to an object that is of a super class or interface type and need to know whether the actual object has some other type (normally more concrete).
Example:
public void doSomething(Number param) {
if( param instanceof Double) {
System.out.println("param is a Double");
}
else if( param instanceof Integer) {
System.out.println("param is an Integer");
}
if( param instanceof Comparable) {
//subclasses of Number like Double etc. implement Comparable
//other subclasses might not -> you could pass Number instances that don't implement that interface
System.out.println("param is comparable");
}
}
Note that if you have to use that operator very often it is generally a hint that your design has some flaws. So in a well designed application you should have to use that operator as little as possible (of course there are exceptions to that general rule).
Solution 2 - Java
instanceof
is used to check if an object is an instance of a class, an instance of a subclass, or an instance of a class that implements a particular interface.
Solution 3 - Java
instanceof
can be used to determine the actual type of an object:
class A { }
class C extends A { }
class D extends A { }
public static void testInstance(){
A c = new C();
A d = new D();
Assert.assertTrue(c instanceof A && d instanceof A);
Assert.assertTrue(c instanceof C && d instanceof D);
Assert.assertFalse(c instanceof D);
Assert.assertFalse(d instanceof C);
}
Solution 4 - Java
instanceof is a keyword that can be used to test if an object is of a specified type.
Example :
public class MainClass {
public static void main(String[] a) {
String s = "Hello";
int i = 0;
String g;
if (s instanceof java.lang.String) {
// This is going to be printed
System.out.println("s is a String");
}
if (i instanceof Integer) {
// This is going to be printed as autoboxing will happen (int -> Integer)
System.out.println("i is an Integer");
}
if (g instanceof java.lang.String) {
// This case is not going to happen because g is not initialized and
// therefore is null and instanceof returns false for null.
System.out.println("g is a String");
}
}
Here is my source.