Java8 - java.util.function.Function Interface tutorial with Examples

java util Function class

This is a simple Functional interface, with which the method takes as input and returns the output. This interface is used to map the objects - which takes one type as input, processes it, and returns the output in another type. This interface has only a single abstract method.java.util.function.The function is a predefined interface introduced in java 8.

This post is about the predefined functional interface - Function examples with tutorials. And also explained about usage of apply(), andThen(), componse() method with examples

public interface Function {
   public R apply(T t);
}

T - input value as given R - output or return value. Here object type T is input to a lambda expression, process, and Object T is returned as the value.

java util Function class methods

Default methods are andThen() and compose() methods, Static methods are identity() method

java.util.function.Function methods

Function interface apply method example

This function applies the method takes the input is string and output is a string. apply() method process string and return the string as the value

import java.util.function.Function;

public class MyFunctionExample {
 static String HelloWorld(String name) {
  return "Hello " + name;
 }

 public static void main(String[] args) {
  Function<String, String> functionalVariable = MyFunctionInterface::HelloWorld;
  System.out.println(functionalVariable.apply("Frank"));
 }
}

and output is

Hello Frank

and one more example of apply() method example

import java.util.function.Function;

public class MyFunctionExample {

 public static void main(String[] args) {
  Function<Integer, Integer> IncrementFunction = (value) -> (value + 1);
  System.out.println(IncrementFunction.apply(2));
  System.out.println(IncrementFunction.apply(5));

 }

}

and output of the above code is

output is 3,6

Function interface andThen method example

andThen() is default method. It combines the called function with other functions after the function is applied.

Syntax

default <V> Function<T,V> andThen(Function<? super R,? extends V> after)

parameter - after the function

import java.util.function.Function;
public class MyFunctionExample {
 public static void main(String[] args) {
  Function<Integer, Integer> IncrementFunction = (value) -> (value + 1);
     Function<Integer, Integer> doubleFunction = value -> 2*value;
        double output=IncrementFunction.andThen(doubleFunction).apply(10);
        System.out.println("output of andThen: "output);
        }
}

The above code Output is

the output of andThen: 22.0

Function interface compose method example

It is the default method. It combines the called function with other functions before the function is applied. Syntax


default <V> Function<V,R> compose(Function<? super V,? extends T> before)

import java.util.function.Function;
public class MyFunctionExample {
 public static void main(String[] args) {
  Function<Integer, Integer> IncrementFunction = (value) -> (value + 1);
     Function<Integer, Integer> doubleFunction = value -> 2*value;
        double output=IncrementFunction.compose(doubleFunction).apply(10);
        System.out.println("the output of composing: "+output);
 }
}

The output of the above code is

the output of composing: 21.0