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2024.3

'Optional' used as field or parameter type

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Last modified: 03 December 2024

Reports any cases in which java.util.Optional<T>, java.util.OptionalDouble, java.util.OptionalInt, java.util.OptionalLong, or com.google.common.base.Optional are used as types for fields or parameters.

Optional was designed to provide a limited mechanism for library method return types in which a clear way to represent "no result" was needed.

Using a field with the java.util.Optional type is also problematic if the class needs to be Serializable, as java.util.Optional is not serializable.

Example: