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Multidimensional Arrays vs Method References in Java

Playing with multidimensional arrays and method references can be tricky sometimes.

1. Referencing Array’s Constructor

Let’s say we want to create a function that takes an integer value and returns an array with a size initialized to that value.

We can do that fairly easily using a Lambda Expression literal:

size -> new String[size]

but…what if we wanted to grant it its own name?

There’s a number of ways to do that. The two most natural ways would be to represent it either as a Function<Integer, String[]> or an IntFunction<String[]>:

IntFunction<String[]> foo1 = size -> new String[size];
Function<Integer, String[]> foo2 = size -> new String[size];

Since our logic is trivial and we’re just passing a raw parameter straight to the constructor, we might as well directly reference the array’s constructor to avoid boilerplate:

IntFunction<String[]> foo1 = String[]::new;

2. Referencing Multidimensional Array’s Constructor

Why not do the same with a 2D array?

BiFunction<Integer, Integer, String[][]> foo2D =
  (rows, cols) -> new String[rows][cols];

BiFunction<Integer, Integer, String[][]> foo2D2 = 
  String[][]::new; // compilation error

Unfortunately, the Method Reference approach leaves us with a compilation error. Do you already have an idea why?

Since multidimensional arrays in Java aren’t really multidimensional (they’re just arrays of arrays), when writing String[][]::new, we’re still referencing exactly same one-parameter constructor as in the first example:

IntFunction<String[]> foo1 = String[]::new;

It’s just the type that array stores isn’t String anymore but String[]:

IntFunction<String[]> foo1 = String[]::new;
IntFunction<String[][]> foo2 = String[][]::new;

Essentially, both cases could be represented as a generic IntFunction<T[]>.

Hopefully, everything becomes clear if we look at the standard Lambda Expression equivalent of the second example:

IntFunction<String[][]> foo1 = size -> new String[size][];

This short write-up was sponsored by this StackOverflow question.




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