Chapter 17: Problem 23

During the process of erasure, when the compiler encounters a generic class, interface, or method with an unbound type parameter, such as or , what does it replace the type parameter with?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: During the process of type erasure, the Java compiler replaces an unbound type parameter with its upper bound if provided, otherwise with the default upper bound, which is Object.

Step by step solution

Understand the concept of Type Erasure

Type erasure is a process by which the Java compiler enforces type safety in generic code by removing type parameters and replacing them with specific types. This process helps ensure that older Java code that was written before the introduction of generics remains compatible with newer generic code.

Identify the replacement of the unbound type parameter during Type Erasure

During the process of type erasure, the compiler replaces unbound type parameters (e.g., , , etc.) with their upper bounds if they have one. If there is no explicit upper bound, then the compiler replaces the unbound type parameter with the default upper bound, which is Object. In Java, the default bound for an unbound type parameter is always Object, since every class in Java inherits from the Object class. For example, if we have a generic method: ```java public static void printList(List list) { for (T item : list) { System.out.println(item); } } ``` After the type erasure process, it would look like: ```java public static void printList(List

Conclusion

During the process of erasure, when the Java compiler encounters a generic class, interface, or method with an unbound type parameter, such as or , it replaces the type parameter with its upper bound, if provided, otherwise with the default upper bound, which is Object.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

During the process of erasure, when the compiler encounters a generic class, interface, or method with an unbound type parameter, such as or , what does it replace the type parameter with?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the concept of Type Erasure

Identify the replacement of the unbound type parameter during Type Erasure

Conclusion

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

Issues in Computer Science

Data Representation in Computer Science

Computer Systems

Computer Programming

Data Structures

Computer Organisation and Architecture

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.