From Records to Pattern Matching: 5 Java Features You Need to Know

Level Up Your Java Skills with These Modern Features

Java has come a long way over the years, and recent versions have introduced exciting features that make coding simpler, cleaner, and more powerful. Whether you're an experienced developer or just keeping up with updates, here are five modern Java features you should definitely know.

1. 🧾 Records: A Simple Way to Create Data Classes

If you've ever written a class just to hold data (with fields, constructors, getters, equals(), hashCode(), and toString()), you know how repetitive it can be.

Records solve that. With a single line, Java creates all that boilerplate for you.

public record Person(String name, int age) {}

That’s it! Now you have a full data class with:

• Constructor

• Getters

• equals() and hashCode()

• toString()

Perfect for immutable data and cleaner code.

2. 🔍 Pattern Matching for instanceof: Less Casting, More Clarity

Before:

if (obj instanceof String) {
    String s = (String) obj;
    System.out.println(s.length());
}

Now with pattern matching for instanceof:

if (obj instanceof String s) {
    System.out.println(s.length());
}

Cleaner, safer, and no need for casting.

3. 🔄 Switch Pattern Matching: More Powerful, More Expressive

The switch statement just got smarter! Now, with pattern matching, you can match not just values but also types and conditions.

Example:

static void test(Object obj) {
    switch (obj) {
        case String s -> System.out.println("A string: " + s);
        case Integer i -> System.out.println("An integer: " + i);
        default -> System.out.println("Something else");
    }
}

This makes switch more flexible and powerful for modern applications.

4. 🧩 Record Patterns: Match and Deconstruct at Once

With record patterns, you can combine destructuring and pattern matching in one line.

record Point(int x, int y) {}

static void print(Point p) {
    if (p instanceof Point(int x, int y)) {
        System.out.println("X: " + x + ", Y: " + y);
    }
}

You don’t need to call p.x() and p.y() — Java pulls the values out for you.

5. 🙈 Unnamed Variables: Ignore What You Don’t Need

Sometimes, you don't care about all the values. Instead of using a throwaway name, you can now use _ to ignore unused variables.

Example:

record User(String name, int age) {}

void process(User u) {
    if (u instanceof User(String name, _)) {
        System.out.println("Name is: " + name);
    }
}

This keeps your code clean and focused only on the data you need.

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🚀 Final Thoughts

Java is constantly evolving, and these new features make it more expressive, readable, and developer-friendly. If you're still using only the old-style syntax, it’s time to explore these tools and level up your Java game!

What’s Your Favorite Feature?

I’d love to hear from you! Which of these Java features is your favorite, or which one are you most excited to try?