Java 8 FAQ: Top Questions

Both Stream.of() and Arrays.stream() are used to create streams in Java 8. The key difference lies in their usage patterns and how they handle arrays and individual elements.

🗺️ Step-by-Step Comparison:

• Stream.of(T... values): Takes varargs or individual elements to create a stream.
• Arrays.stream(T[] array): Specially designed to handle arrays and works well with primitive arrays.

📥 Example Input:

String[] fruits = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"};

🏆 Using Both Approaches:

// Using Stream.of
Stream stream1 = Stream.of(fruits);

// Using Arrays.stream
Stream stream2 = Arrays.stream(fruits);

✅ Java 8 Solution:

import java.util.stream.*;
import java.util.*;

public class StreamCreationExample {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String[] fruits = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"};

    Stream stream1 = Stream.of(fruits);
    Stream stream2 = Arrays.stream(fruits);

    stream1.forEach(f -> System.out.println("Stream.of: " + f));
    stream2.forEach(f -> System.out.println("Arrays.stream: " + f));
  }
}

📘 Detailed Explanation:

• Stream.of() is more flexible for non-array arguments but can treat entire array as a single element if not used carefully.
• Arrays.stream() is more reliable when working directly with arrays, including primitives.
• Avoid Stream.of(new int[]{1,2,3}) — it will produce one stream of array instead of individual integers.

🛠️ Use Cases:

• Use Stream.of() when working with discrete values or object arrays.
• Use Arrays.stream() for array-specific operations, especially with primitives.