Learn Method Parameters: Varargs | Working with Parameters

Understanding Varargs in Java

Varargs (variable-length argument lists) let you define methods that accept a flexible number of arguments of a specified type. This feature provides a convenient way to handle methods where the exact number of parameters is not known in advance.

By using varargs, you can call a method with zero, one, or many arguments, all of which are automatically grouped into an array inside the method. This makes your code more adaptable and reduces the need for overloaded methods that only differ in the number of parameters.

To declare a varargs parameter, add three dots (...) after the type in the method signature.

Main.java


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package com.example;

public class Main {
    // Method that accepts a variable number of integer arguments and returns their sum
    public static int sumNumbers(int... numbers) {
        int sum = 0;
        for (int n : numbers) {
            sum += n;
        }
        return sum;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Call sumNumbers with different numbers of arguments
        System.out.println("Sum of 1, 2, 3: " + sumNumbers(1, 2, 3));
        System.out.println("Sum of 10, 20: " + sumNumbers(10, 20));
        System.out.println("Sum of no arguments: " + sumNumbers());
    }
}

The method sumNumbers uses varargs (int... numbers) to accept a variable number of integer arguments.
Inside the method, a for-each loop adds up all the numbers, and the total is returned.
In main, sumNumbers is called with different numbers of arguments, including no arguments, demonstrating how varargs allow flexible method calls.

Summary: Benefits of Varargs

Using varargs in Java methods offers several advantages:

Allow you to pass any number of arguments of a specified type to a method;
Simplify method signatures by removing the need for multiple overloaded methods;
Improve code readability and maintainability by making method calls more concise;
Enable flexible APIs that adapt to different use cases without extra boilerplate.

By leveraging varargs, you write cleaner, more adaptable code that handles variable numbers of arguments efficiently.

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