Optional - Java vs Swift

gistfile1.md

Java 8: java.util.Optional

private abstract Optional<String> methodThatReturnsOptionalString();

private void useOptionalString() {
	Optional<String> myOptionalString = methodThatReturnsOptionalString();
	if (myOptionalString.isPresent()) {
		String myUnboxedString = myOptionalString.get();
		System.out.format("Optional string had value: %s\n", myUnboxedString);
	} else {
		System.out.println("Optional string was empty");
	}
}

Swift Optional

func methodThatReturnsOptionalString() -> String? {
	return (arc4random() % 2 == 0) ? nil : "Hello world"
}

func useOptionalString() {
	var myOptionalString = methodThatReturnsOptionalString()
	if let myUnboxedString = myOptionalString {
		println("Optional string had value \(myUnboxedString)")
	} else {
		println("Optional string was empty")
	}
}

did oracle take the concept from swift ?

in Java you must check for null first
if (myOptionalString.isPresent())
should be
if (myOptionalString!= null && myOptionalString.isPresent())

Unfortunately Optional in Java can contains null, so it is does not help much with NullPointerException.