Java Short Hand If…Else (Ternary Operator)

Welcome to The Coding College! In this tutorial, we will explore the ternary operator in Java, a shorthand for the if...else statement. The ternary operator is a concise way to evaluate a condition and choose one of two values.

What is the Ternary Operator?

The ternary operator in Java is represented by the symbol ? :. It is a conditional operator that works with three operands:

  • A condition to evaluate.
  • A value to return if the condition is true.
  • A value to return if the condition is false.

Syntax

variable = (condition) ? value_if_true : value_if_false;

Example: Basic Usage

variable = (condition) ? value_if_true : value_if_false;

Output:

The number is: Even

How It Works

  1. Condition: The condition is evaluated first.
  2. True Value: If the condition is true, the value before the colon (:) is returned.
  3. False Value: If the condition is false, the value after the colon (:) is returned.

Example: Determine Eligibility

public class Eligibility {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int age = 18;

        // Check eligibility for voting
        String eligibility = (age >= 18) ? "Eligible to vote" : "Not eligible to vote";

        System.out.println(eligibility);
    }
}

Output:

Eligible to vote

Using Ternary Operator for Assignments

public class MaxValue {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int a = 10, b = 20;

        // Find the maximum of two numbers
        int max = (a > b) ? a : b;

        System.out.println("The maximum value is: " + max);
    }
}

Output:

The maximum value is: 20

Example: Nested Ternary Operator

You can nest ternary operators for multiple conditions, but this can make the code less readable.

public class NestedTernary {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int marks = 85;

        // Grade determination
        String grade = (marks >= 90) ? "A+" : 
                       (marks >= 80) ? "A" : 
                       (marks >= 70) ? "B" : 
                       "C";

        System.out.println("Grade: " + grade);
    }
}

Output:

Grade: A

Limitations of Ternary Operator

  • Readability: Complex or nested ternary operators can be harder to read and debug.
  • No Blocks: You can’t include multiple statements in a ternary operator.

Example: Avoid Complexity

If your ternary operator gets too complex, consider using a regular if...else statement for clarity.

Practice Problems

  1. Use the ternary operator to check if a number is positive, negative, or zero.
  2. Write a program to compare three numbers using a nested ternary operator.
  3. Determine the greater of two numbers using the ternary operator.

Conclusion

The ternary operator in Java is a concise way to handle simple conditional statements. While it is powerful and reduces code, always prioritize readability and maintainability.

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