Java LongConsumer

Introduction

In Java, the LongConsumer interface is a functional interface that represents an operation that accepts a single long-valued argument and returns no result. It is part of the java.util.function package and is commonly used for operations that process long values, such as logging or modifying data.

Table of Contents

1. What is LongConsumer?
2. Methods and Syntax
3. Examples of LongConsumer
4. Real-World Use Case
5. Conclusion

1. What is LongConsumer?

LongConsumer is a functional interface that performs an operation on a single long input. It is often used in lambda expressions and method references for handling long values.

2. Methods and Syntax

The main methods in the LongConsumer interface are:

• void accept(long value): Performs this operation on the given long argument.
• default LongConsumer andThen(LongConsumer after): Returns a composed LongConsumer that performs this operation followed by the after operation.

Syntax

LongConsumer longConsumer = (long value) -> {
    // operation on value
};

3. Examples of LongConsumer

Example 1: Printing a Long Value

import java.util.function.LongConsumer;

public class PrintLongExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Define a LongConsumer that prints a long value
        LongConsumer print = (value) -> System.out.println("Value: " + value);

        print.accept(10L);
    }
}

Output:

Value: 10

Example 2: Multiplying and Displaying

import java.util.function.LongConsumer;

public class MultiplyExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Define a LongConsumer that multiplies a long by 2 and prints the result
        LongConsumer multiplyAndPrint = (value) -> System.out.println("Multiplied Value: " + (value * 2));

        multiplyAndPrint.accept(5L);
    }
}

Output:

Multiplied Value: 10

Example 3: Using andThen

import java.util.function.LongConsumer;

public class AndThenExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Define two LongConsumers
        LongConsumer print = (value) -> System.out.println("Value: " + value);
        LongConsumer multiply = (value) -> System.out.println("Multiplied Value: " + (value * 2));

        // Compose the LongConsumers
        LongConsumer combined = print.andThen(multiply);

        combined.accept(7L);
    }
}

Output:

Value: 7
Multiplied Value: 14

4. Real-World Use Case: Logging Timestamps

In applications, LongConsumer can be used to log timestamps represented by long values.

import java.util.function.LongConsumer;

public class TimestampLogger {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Define a LongConsumer to log timestamps
        LongConsumer logTimestamp = (timestamp) -> System.out.println("Logged timestamp: " + timestamp);

        logTimestamp.accept(System.currentTimeMillis());
    }
}

Output:

Logged timestamp: [current timestamp in milliseconds]

Conclusion

The LongConsumer interface is a versatile tool in Java for performing operations on long values without returning a result. It simplifies handling tasks like logging, modifying data, or processing real-time information. Using LongConsumer can lead to cleaner and more efficient code, especially in functional programming contexts. The andThen method allows for easy composition of operations, enhancing code modularity.