Autoboxing and Unboxing in

JAVA

Chathuranga Kasun Bamunusingha

Quick Review of Java
• Java is an oo language
• Can view everything as an object
Quick Review of Java
• Java is an oo language
• Can view everything as an object

• There are two type of variables in java

• Primitive (int,char,bool…..)
• Object
Quick Review of Java
• Java is an oo language
• Can view everything as an object

• There are two type of variables in java

• Primitive (int,char,bool…..)
• Object

• Simple data types can be converted into

objects
• Using “Wrapper” classes
Quick Review of Java
• Wrapper classes wrap primitive data
types and give it an object appearance
• Int -> Integer
• Char -> Character

• Use of wrapper classes

• To convert simple data types into objects
• To convert strings into relavent data types
• Ex
• Integer.parseInt(“100”);
Quick Review of Java
• Wrapper classes wrap primitive data
types and give it an object appearance
• Int -> Integer
• Char -> Character
Quick Review of Java
● Wrapper class provides methods to
wrap and unwrap objects
◦ Ex:
⚫Wrap -> Integer k=new Integer(100);
⚫Unwrap -> int a=k.intValue();

⚫It simply like a “Chocolate”!

⚫Manufacture wrap the chocolate with some paper(wrapper)
⚫User takes it and remove the paper(wrapper) and eat
Autoboxing and Unboxing
● Autoboxing
◦ Wrap a primitive data type into its object
type
Autoboxing and Unboxing
● Autoboxing
◦ Wrap a primitive data type into its object
type

◦ Unboxing
⚫Unwrap(get the primitive value) from its relevant
object
Autoboxing and Unboxing
● Autoboxing
◦ Wrap a primitive data type into its object
type

◦ Unboxing
⚫Unwrap(get the primitive value) from its relevant
object

⚫I made some mistakes!!!!!!

⚫ How the “Auto” parts comes to the picture!
⚫ You just wait ;)
Back To Java History
● I’mgoing to write some code in java
4.0!
Back To Java History
● Now I want to add “3” into
listOfNumbers arraylist

● listOfNumbers.add(3);
Back To Java History
● Now I want to add “3” into
listOfNumbers arraylist

● listOfNumbers.add(3);
◦ This gives me an ERROR!!!
Back To Java History
● Now I want to add “3” into
listOfNumbers arraylist

● listOfNumbers.add(3);
◦ This gives me an ERROR!!!

◦ There is no add(int) method , only

add(object) method
Back To Java History
● Now I want to add “3” into
listOfNumbers arraylist

● listOfNumbers.add(3);
◦ This gives me an ERROR!!!

◦ There is no add(int) method , only

add(object) method

◦ listOfNumbers.add(new Integer(3));
Back To Java History
● IfI need to take that number “3” back,
then
Back To Java History
● IfI need to take that number “3” back,
then

● It comes out as type of Object

◦ Integer one = (Integer)
listOfNumbers.get(0);
Back To Java History
● IfI need to take that number “3” back,
then

● It comes out as type of Object

◦ Integer one = (Integer)
listOfNumbers.get(0);

◦ Finally you can get the primitive out of the

Integer
• int intOne = one.intValue();
What is the problem mate!
● In
every time you (the programmer)
has to do the wrapping(boxing) and
unwrapping (unboxing) manually
What is the problem mate!
● In
every time you (the programmer)
has to do the wrapping(boxing) and
unwrapping (unboxing) manually
◦ It makes coding life bit difficult
◦ It can be introduce bugs in the program
What is the problem mate!
● In
every time you (the programmer)
has to do the wrapping(boxing) and
unwrapping (unboxing) manually
◦ It makes coding life bit difficult
◦ It can be introduce bugs in the program

◦ How to solve this ?

What is the problem mate!
● In
every time you (the programmer)
has to do the wrapping(boxing) and
unwrapping (unboxing) manually
◦ It makes coding life bit difficult
◦ It can be introduce bugs in the program

◦ How to solve this ?

• If compiler do this automatically for the
programmer then life will be easy!
• That exactly java 5 has done!
• We called it “Autoboxing and unboxing”
Back To Java 5
● Let’s do the previous example in java
5
Back To Java 5
● Let’s do the previous example in java
5

● Make an ArrayList of type Integer

◦ ArrayList<Integer> listOfNumbers = new
ArrayList<Integer>();
Back To Java 5
● Let’s do the previous example in java
5

● Make an ArrayList of type Integer

◦ ArrayList<Integer> listOfNumbers = new
ArrayList<Integer>();

◦ Just add it!

Back To Java 5
● Let’s do the previous example in java
5

● Make an ArrayList of type Integer

◦ ArrayList<Integer> listOfNumbers = new
ArrayList<Integer>();

◦ Just add it!

• listOfNumbers.add(3);
• Here converting int 3 into Integer object has
been done by the compiler itself (Autoboxing)
Back To Java 5
● IfI need to get the int value from
Integer object ,
Back To Java 5
● IfI need to get the int value from
Integer object ,
◦ int num = listOfNumbers.get(0);
◦ Here getting int value from Integer object
is done by the compiler itself
Back To Java 5
● IfI need to get the int value from
Integer object ,
◦ int num = listOfNumbers.get(0);
◦ Here getting int value from Integer object
is done by the compiler itself
◦ That is intValue() method is called by the
compiler
◦ We called it “unboxing”!
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● As method arguments
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● As method arguments
◦ takeNumber method takes an Integer
object as input parameter. But we can use
int also!
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● Return values
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● Return values
◦ giveNumber method return int. but it can
be used int or Integer type!
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● Boolean expressions
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● Boolean expressions
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● Operations on numbers
◦ Compiler do the trick!
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● Assignments
Lets Have Fun With Autoboxing
and Unboxing!

● Assignments
End OF The Journey

● That’s
all about autoboxing and
unboxing!
End OF The Journey

● That’s
all about autoboxing and
unboxing!

● Any questions ???

End OF The Journey

● That’s
all about autoboxing and
unboxing!

● Any questions ???

● Thank you!