This lecture will delve into advanced Java programming concepts that significantly enhance code readability, maintainability, and performance. We'll explore generics, lambda expressions, inner classes, and the collection framework API.

Generics

Generics introduce type safety and flexibility into Java code. By defining generic types, we can create reusable components that work with different data types without compromising type safety. We'll discuss the syntax and benefits of generics, including type inference, bounded type parameters, and wildcards.

Lambda Expressions

Lambda expressions, introduced in Java 8, provide a concise way to represent anonymous functions. They are particularly useful for functional programming paradigms and can simplify code, especially when dealing with functional interfaces. We'll cover the syntax, functional interfaces, and common use cases of lambda expressions.

Inner Classes

Inner classes are classes defined within other classes. They offer a more encapsulated and organized way to structure code. We'll explore different types of inner classes, including nested, member, local, and anonymous inner classes, and their respective use cases.

Collection Framework API

The collection framework provides a set of data structures and algorithms for efficiently storing and manipulating collections of objects. We'll discuss the core interfaces like List, Set, and Map, along with their implementations (e.g., ArrayList, HashSet, HashMap). We'll also explore iterators, streams, and common collection operations.