What are Lambda Expressions?

by

Java 8 introduced several powerful features, and one of the most important among them is Lambda Expressions. If you’re new to programming or coming from older Java versions, lambda expressions might seem strange at first, but they make your code shorter, cleaner, and easier to understand.

What is a Lambda Expression?

A lambda expression is a way to represent an anonymous function (a function without a name) in Java. It helps you write code where you pass behavior (like logic or an action) as a method argument.

Before Java 8, if you wanted to pass a block of code to a method, you’d usually write an anonymous class. With lambda expressions, this can now be written in a much more compact way.

Basic Syntax of Lambda Expressions

(parameters) -> {
// body
}

Example:

List strings = Arrays.asList("Basics.sh", "Java");
strings.forEach(element -> {
 System.out.println(element);
});

Why Use Lambda Expressions?

  1. Less Code: You write less boilerplate.
  2. More Readable: Code is easier to read.
  3. Functional Programming Style: Makes Java more expressive and closer to modern programming styles.

Lambda expressions are one of the most important and useful features introduced in Java 8. They make your code cleaner and more powerful, especially when working with collections and functional interfaces. As you continue to learn Java 8 features, you’ll see how lambdas make other features like Streams and method references even more effective.

Next, we’ll explore Functional Interfaces in detail — what they are, how they work, and how they relate to lambdas.

Leave a Comment