Get an Optional first element of a List.

optional-first.java

/**
 * Safely gets the first element of a {@link List}
 * @param list a {@code List}
 * @param <E> type of elements in list
 * @return the first element of list or {@link Optional#absent()} if absent or null
 */
@Nonnull
private <E> Optional<E> first(@Nullable List<E> list) {
    if (list == null || list.isEmpty()) {
        return Optional.absent();
    }
    return Optional.fromNullable(list.get(0));

}