Inc. Abstract Generic types allow users to write programs that work uniformly over a family of types. Generic types make programs more robust and type-safe, and more readable, by eliminating the clutter of unnecessary casts.
Typical uses are container classes such as collections, lists and stacks.
A proposal is being developed for adding generic types to the Java TM programming language through the Java Community Process SM initiative. The emphasis in this design is on compatibility and a seamless transition to the upgraded language. An experimental compiler that supports these features is publicly available and anticipated to be shipped in the product release following Merlin. Sun Microsystems Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use .