Java 22
Streams were a very nice addition to Java 8, based on lambdas. They allow streamlined data processing without side effects, taking us gently towards functional style. With newer additions to Java, like records and pattern matching, they shine even more in data-driven flows. However, they don’t come without flaws. For starters, the only available extension point was collectors: if your needs for gathering data weren’t satisfied by the whole Collectors ZOO, you could always fall back to creating your own Collector.
Java 22 is about to be released tomorrow. There are many super nice things in this release. I suspect making Project Panama’s native/foreign calls will make many people’s life easier, as well as ongoing changes to concurrency, string templates and finally being able to call something before super. However, there’s one thing I guess is going to be my (almost) hidden hero of Java 22. Folks, I introduce to you Gatherers.
Let’s talk about Java 21 and have a snaek-peek into Java 22, and things like: Java was supposed “to be slow”. However, Java turns out to evolve so fast, that next releases aren’t just version bumps, but might significantly change the rules of the game. That’s a good reason to check out what’s new in Java. To name a few changes:
Virtual Threads (and some traps), Pattern Matching and Record Patterns, Structured Concurrency, String Templates, Stream Gatherers,, changes around main() method, what’s gone and what will be gone, and other things.
