Source code
package com.google.common.collect;
import com.google.common.annotations.GwtCompatible;
import com.google.common.primitives.Booleans;
import com.google.errorprone.annotations.InlineMe;
import java.util.Comparator;
import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
/**
* A utility for performing a chained comparison statement. <b>Note:</b> Java 8+ users should
* generally prefer the methods in {@link Comparator}; see <a href="#java8">below</a>.
*
* <p>Example usage of {@code ComparisonChain}:
*
* {@snippet :
* public int compareTo(Foo that) {
* return ComparisonChain.start()
* .compare(this.aString, that.aString)
* .compare(this.anInt, that.anInt)
* .compare(this.anEnum, that.anEnum, Ordering.natural().nullsLast())
* .result();
* }
* }
*
* <p>The value of this expression will have the same sign as the <i>first nonzero</i> comparison
* result in the chain, or will be zero if every comparison result was zero.
*
* <p><b>Note:</b> {@code ComparisonChain} instances are <b>immutable</b>. For this utility to work
* correctly, calls must be chained as illustrated above.
*
* <p>Performance note: Even though the {@code ComparisonChain} caller always invokes its {@code
* compare} methods unconditionally, the {@code ComparisonChain} implementation stops calling its
* inputs' {@link Comparable#compareTo compareTo} and {@link Comparator#compare compare} methods as
* soon as one of them returns a nonzero result. This optimization is typically important only in
* the presence of expensive {@code compareTo} and {@code compare} implementations.
*
* <p>See the Guava User Guide article on <a href=
* "https://github.com/google/guava/wiki/CommonObjectUtilitiesExplained#comparecompareto">{@code
* ComparisonChain}</a>.
*
* <h4 id="java8">Java 8+ equivalents</h4>
*
* If you are using Java version 8 or greater, you should generally use the static methods in {@link
* Comparator} instead of {@code ComparisonChain}. The example above can be implemented like this:
*
* {@snippet :
* import static java.util.Comparator.comparing;
* import static java.util.Comparator.nullsLast;
* import static java.util.Comparator.naturalOrder;
*
* ...
* private static final Comparator<Foo> COMPARATOR =
* comparing((Foo foo) -> foo.aString)
* .thenComparing(foo -> foo.anInt)
* .thenComparing(foo -> foo.anEnum, nullsLast(naturalOrder()));
*
* @Override
* public int compareTo(Foo that) {
* return COMPARATOR.compare(this, that);
* }
* }
*
* <p>With method references it is more succinct: {@code comparing(Foo::aString)} for example.
*
* <p>Using {@link Comparator} avoids certain types of bugs, for example when you meant to write
* {@code .compare(a.foo, b.foo)} but you actually wrote {@code .compare(a.foo, a.foo)} or {@code
* .compare(a.foo, b.bar)}. {@code ComparisonChain} also has a potential performance problem that
* {@code Comparator} doesn't: it evaluates all the parameters of all the {@code .compare} calls,
* even when the result of the comparison is already known from previous {@code .compare} calls.
* That can be expensive.
*
* @author Mark Davis
* @author Kevin Bourrillion
* @since 2.0
*/
@GwtCompatible
public abstract class ComparisonChain {
private ComparisonChain() {}
/** Begins a new chained comparison statement. See example in the class documentation. */
public static ComparisonChain start() {
return ACTIVE;
}
private static final ComparisonChain ACTIVE =
new ComparisonChain() {
@SuppressWarnings("unchecked") // unsafe; see discussion on supertype
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(Comparable<?> left, Comparable<?> right) {
return classify(((Comparable<Object>) left).compareTo(right));
}
@Override
public <T extends @Nullable Object> ComparisonChain compare(
@ParametricNullness T left, @ParametricNullness T right, Comparator<T> comparator) {
return classify(comparator.compare(left, right));
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(int left, int right) {
return classify(Integer.compare(left, right));
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(long left, long right) {
return classify(Long.compare(left, right));
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(float left, float right) {
return classify(Float.compare(left, right));
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(double left, double right) {
return classify(Double.compare(left, right));
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compareTrueFirst(boolean left, boolean right) {
return classify(Boolean.compare(right, left)); // reversed
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compareFalseFirst(boolean left, boolean right) {
return classify(Boolean.compare(left, right));
}
ComparisonChain classify(int result) {
return (result < 0) ? LESS : (result > 0) ? GREATER : ACTIVE;
}
@Override
public int result() {
return 0;
}
};
private static final ComparisonChain LESS = new InactiveComparisonChain(-1);
private static final ComparisonChain GREATER = new InactiveComparisonChain(1);
private static final class InactiveComparisonChain extends ComparisonChain {
final int result;
InactiveComparisonChain(int result) {
this.result = result;
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(Comparable<?> left, Comparable<?> right) {
return this;
}
@Override
public <T extends @Nullable Object> ComparisonChain compare(
@ParametricNullness T left, @ParametricNullness T right, Comparator<T> comparator) {
return this;
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(int left, int right) {
return this;
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(long left, long right) {
return this;
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(float left, float right) {
return this;
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compare(double left, double right) {
return this;
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compareTrueFirst(boolean left, boolean right) {
return this;
}
@Override
public ComparisonChain compareFalseFirst(boolean left, boolean right) {
return this;
}
@Override
public int result() {
return result;
}
}
/**
* Compares two comparable objects as specified by {@link Comparable#compareTo}, <i>if</i> the
* result of this comparison chain has not already been determined.
*
* <p>This method is declared to accept any 2 {@code Comparable} objects, even if they are not <a
* href="https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/interfaces/order.html">mutually
* comparable</a>. If you pass objects that are not mutually comparable, this method may throw an
* exception. (The reason for this decision is lost to time, but the reason <i>might</i> be that
* we wanted to support legacy classes that implement the raw type {@code Comparable} (instead of
* implementing {@code Comparable<Foo>}) without producing warnings. If so, we would prefer today
* to produce warnings in that case, and we may change this method to do so in the future. Support
* for raw {@code Comparable} types in Guava in general is tracked as <a
* href="https://github.com/google/guava/issues/989">#989</a>.)
*
* @throws ClassCastException if the parameters are not mutually comparable
*/
public abstract ComparisonChain compare(Comparable<?> left, Comparable<?> right);
/**
* Compares two objects using a comparator, <i>if</i> the result of this comparison chain has not
* already been determined.
*/
public abstract <T extends @Nullable Object> ComparisonChain compare(
@ParametricNullness T left, @ParametricNullness T right, Comparator<T> comparator);
/**
* Compares two {@code int} values as specified by {@link Integer#compare}, <i>if</i> the result
* of this comparison chain has not already been determined.
*/
public abstract ComparisonChain compare(int left, int right);
/**
* Compares two {@code long} values as specified by {@link Long#compare}, <i>if</i> the result of
* this comparison chain has not already been determined.
*/
public abstract ComparisonChain compare(long left, long right);
/**
* Compares two {@code float} values as specified by {@link Float#compare}, <i>if</i> the result
* of this comparison chain has not already been determined.
*/
public abstract ComparisonChain compare(float left, float right);
/**
* Compares two {@code double} values as specified by {@link Double#compare}, <i>if</i> the result
* of this comparison chain has not already been determined.
*/
public abstract ComparisonChain compare(double left, double right);
/**
* Discouraged synonym for {@link #compareFalseFirst}.
*
* @deprecated Use {@link #compareFalseFirst}; or, if the parameters passed are being either
* negated or reversed, undo the negation or reversal and use {@link #compareTrueFirst}.
* @since 19.0
*/
@InlineMe(replacement = "this.compareFalseFirst(left, right)")
@Deprecated
public final ComparisonChain compare(Boolean left, Boolean right) {
return compareFalseFirst(left, right);
}
/**
* Compares two {@code boolean} values, considering {@code true} to be less than {@code false},
* <i>if</i> the result of this comparison chain has not already been determined.
*
* <p>Java 8+ users: you can get the equivalent from {@link Booleans#trueFirst()}. For example:
*
* <pre>
* Comparator.comparing(Foo::isBar, {@link Booleans#trueFirst()})
* </pre>
*
* @since 12.0
*/
public abstract ComparisonChain compareTrueFirst(boolean left, boolean right);
/**
* Compares two {@code boolean} values, considering {@code false} to be less than {@code true},
* <i>if</i> the result of this comparison chain has not already been determined.
*
* <p>Java 8+ users: you can get the equivalent from {@link Booleans#falseFirst()}. For example:
*
* <pre>
* Comparator.comparing(Foo::isBar, {@link Booleans#falseFirst()})
* </pre>
*
* @since 12.0 (present as {@code compare} since 2.0)
*/
public abstract ComparisonChain compareFalseFirst(boolean left, boolean right);
/**
* Ends this comparison chain and returns its result: a value having the same sign as the first
* nonzero comparison result in the chain, or zero if every result was zero.
*/
public abstract int result();
}
Run 1
The code is highly readable, well-structured, and clearly documented. It follows a logical organization with an abstract base class and clean polymorphism via Active and Inactive chain implementations. The class and method Javadocs are thorough, explaining intent, usage, and tradeoffs. Nesting is minimal and controlled (anonymous class, ternary). Action granularity is strong: each compare method does one clear thing. Reading flow is natural, with sections separated by purpose. The main slight drawback is length—much of it is documentation—but this is appropriate for a public utility API. Clarity of intent is excellent throughout.
Run 2
The code is highly readable with clear logical organization, minimal nesting, and excellent intent clarity. It uses a clean class hierarchy (ComparisonChain, InactiveComparisonChain) and the active/inactive pattern is elegant. The documentation is extensive and helpful, though it significantly increases file length. Nesting is minimal - only a few one-level indentation blocks. Each method performs one clear action and the classify method is a concise one-liner. The abstract methods clearly define the contract. The main readability concern is the sheer amount of documentation which extends the file considerably, but the code itself remains easily understandable. The ternary in classify could be slightly harder to parse than an if-else but is concise. Overall, this is well-structured, maintainable code that follows good practices.
Run 3
This is a well-structured, highly readable implementation of a fluent API. The code is organized logically with clear separation between the abstract base class, active comparison logic, and inactive state. Nesting is minimal—only one anonymous class and one private subclass exist, both with flat method structures. Intent is unambiguous through descriptive method names like compareTrueFirst/compareFalseFirst and comprehensive Javadoc. Action granularity is excellent, with one operation per line (e.g., the ternary in classify()). The reading flow is natural: abstract method declarations first, then implementations following the same order. The class documentation is extensive but appropriately placed before code, maintaining readability. Minor deductions: the anonymous ACTIVE class requires a SuppressWarnings annotation suggesting slight type-safety compromises, and the deprecated Boolean compare method adds historical baggage. Overall, this exemplifies production-quality Guava code with exceptional clarity.
Run 1
Code Structure: Clearly separates active comparison behavior, inactive states, and the public API, though placing implementations before API declarations requires some navigation. Nesting: Methods are mostly flat; the anonymous class adds modest structural nesting, and classify uses a slightly dense nested ternary. Clarity of intent: Descriptive names, explicit boolean ordering methods, and thorough documentation clearly explain chaining and short-circuit behavior. Code length: Individual methods are concise, but repeated overloads and extensive documentation make the file lengthy; much of this repetition supports the API. Action granularity: Statements generally perform one focused action per line, with comparison and classification combined naturally. Reading flow: Consistent formatting and parallel method ordering make scanning easy, although annotations, generic signatures, and lengthy historical notes occasionally interrupt the flow.
Run 2
Code Structure: Clearly separates active and inactive comparison states and groups related overloads consistently. Nesting: Mostly shallow; the anonymous class and nested ternary introduce only modest complexity. Clarity of intent: Descriptive names, comprehensive documentation, and examples make comparison ordering and short-circuit behavior clear. Code length: Individual methods are concise, but repeated overloads and extensive documentation make the class lengthy, largely justified by its public API. Action granularity: Nearly every statement performs one action; the nested ternary in classify compresses multiple decisions into one expression. Reading flow: Consistent formatting and parallel implementations support predictable reading, although placing implementations before abstract API declarations requires some navigation.
Run 3
Code Structure: Clearly separates active and inactive comparison states and groups related overloads consistently. Nesting: Methods are mostly flat; the anonymous class and nested ternary add minor complexity. Clarity of intent: Descriptive names, comprehensive documentation, and examples clearly explain chaining, short-circuit behavior, and boolean ordering. Code length: Individual methods are concise, but repeated overloads and extensive documentation make the file lengthy, largely for justified API coverage. Action granularity: Almost every statement performs one action; classify combines three outcomes in a compact expression. Reading flow: Consistent formatting and parallel implementations make scanning straightforward, though placing public abstract declarations after implementations requires some navigation. Overall, highly readable with modest verbosity and structural indirection.