What is the difference between List<? super T> and List<? extends T> ?
extends
The wildcard declaration of List<? extends Number> foo3
means that any of these are legal assignments:
List<? extends Number> foo3 = new ArrayList<Number>(); // Number "extends" Number (in this context) List<? extends Number> foo3 = new ArrayList<Integer>(); // Integer extends Number List<? extends Number> foo3 = new ArrayList<Double>(); // Double extends Number
-
Reading - Given the above possible assignments, what type of object are you guaranteed to read from
List foo3
:- You can read a
Number
because any of the lists that could be assigned tofoo3
contain aNumber
or a subclass ofNumber
. - You can't read an
Integer
becausefoo3
could be pointing at aList<Double>
. - You can't read a
Double
becausefoo3
could be pointing at aList<Integer>
.
- You can read a
-
Writing - Given the above possible assignments, what type of object could you add to
List foo3
that would be legal for all the above possibleArrayList
assignments:- You can't add an
Integer
becausefoo3
could be pointing at aList<Double>
. - You can't add a
Double
becausefoo3
could be pointing at aList<Integer>
. - You can't add a
Number
becausefoo3
could be pointing at aList<Integer>
.
- You can't add an
You can't add any object to List<? extends T>
because you can't guarantee what kind of List
it is really pointing to, so you can't guarantee that the object is allowed in that List
. The only "guarantee" is that you can only read from it and you'll get a T
or subclass of T
.
super
Now consider List <? super T>
.
The wildcard declaration of List<? super Integer> foo3
means that any of these are legal assignments:
List<? super Integer> foo3 = new ArrayList<Integer>(); // Integer is a "superclass" of Integer (in this context) List<? super Integer> foo3 = new ArrayList<Number>(); // Number is a superclass of Integer List<? super Integer> foo3 = new ArrayList<Object>(); // Object is a superclass of Integer
-
Reading - Given the above possible assignments, what type of object are you guaranteed to receive when you read from
List foo3
:- You aren't guaranteed an
Integer
becausefoo3
could be pointing at aList<Number>
orList<Object>
. - You aren't guaranteed a
Number
becausefoo3
could be pointing at aList<Object>
. - The only guarantee is that you will get an instance of an
Object
or subclass ofObject
(but you don't know what subclass).
- You aren't guaranteed an
-
Writing - Given the above possible assignments, what type of object could you add to
List foo3
that would be legal for all the above possibleArrayList
assignments:- You can add an
Integer
because anInteger
is allowed in any of above lists. - You can add an instance of a subclass of
Integer
because an instance of a subclass ofInteger
is allowed in any of the above lists. - You can't add a
Double
becausefoo3
could be pointing at anArrayList<Integer>
. - You can't add a
Number
becausefoo3
could be pointing at anArrayList<Integer>
. - You can't add an
Object
becausefoo3
could be pointing at anArrayList<Integer>
.
- You can add an
PECS
Remember PECS: "Producer Extends, Consumer Super".
-
"Producer Extends" - If you need a
List
to produceT
values (you want to readT
s from the list), you need to declare it with? extends T
, e.g.List<? extends Integer>
. But you cannot add to this list. -
"Consumer Super" - If you need a
List
to consumeT
values (you want to writeT
s into the list), you need to declare it with? super T
, e.g.List<? super Integer>
. But there are no guarantees what type of object you may read from this list. -
If you need to both read from and write to a list, you need to declare it exactly with no wildcards, e.g.
List<Integer>
.
Example
Note this example from the Java Generics FAQ. Note how the source list src
(the producing list) uses extends
, and the destination list dest
(the consuming list) uses super
:
public class Collections { public static <T> void copy(List<? super T> dest, List<? extends T> src) { for (int i = 0; i < src.size(); i++) dest.set(i, src.get(i)); } }
Also see How can I add to List<? extends Number> data structures?
Reference:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4343202/difference-between-super-t-and-extends-t-in-java
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2723397/what-is-pecs-producer-extends-consumer-super