Java 17 Record Classes: Cleaner Code with Immutable DTOs

Java 17 Feature: Record Classes What is a Record Class? A record class is mainly used to create DTOs (Data Transfer Objects) in a simple and clean way. Why DTOs? DTOs are used to transfer data: • Between services • From backend to frontend Key Features of Record Classes: Immutable by default (data cannot be changed after creation) Less code (no need to write getters, constructors, etc.) When you create a record, Java automatically provides: Private final fields All-arguments constructor Getter methods (accessor methods) toString(), equals(), hashCode() Example: public record Customer(int customerId, String customerName, long phone) {} Usage: Customer customer = new Customer(1011, "John", 9890080012L); System.out.println(customer.customerId()); Important Points: Record class is implicitly final Cannot extend other classes Internally extends java.lang.Record Can implement interfaces (normal or sealed) Can have static methods and instance methods Cannot have extra instance variables With Sealed Interface: public sealed interface UserActivity permits CreateUser, DeleteUser { boolean confirm(); } public record CreateUser() implements UserActivity { public boolean confirm() { return true; } } Before Java 17: We used Lombok to reduce boilerplate code. After Java 17: Record classes make code: Cleaner Shorter Easier to maintain #Java #Java17 #BackendDevelopment #FullStackDeveloper #Programming #SoftwareEngineering

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