Specify generics?

[hybrid badge]

Can I do something like class ArrayList<String> extends ArrayList<E> {? I have a class with a generic and I want to override a method if the type is string, so I can use .matches() instead of ==. Being able to check the type of a generic would also work.

[pearl cosmos]

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[alpine thistle]

what exactly do you want to do?

Can you give a more concrete example?

you cannot check generics at runtime

[hybrid badge]

I have a method that takes the type of my list, and uses == to compare it to some elements. I’d like to be able to use .matches() instead if the generic happens to be a string

[alpine thistle]

you cannot check the generic type at runtime

but you can check the element

and in general, maybe consider using equals() instead of ==

[hybrid badge]

So like check if input.getClass() is Class<String>?

[queen jungle]

String.class, but yes

Or check if (input instanceof String s)

Then you can operate on s

[hybrid badge]

Cool, I’ll try that