Java “? :” operator? [duplicate]

Answer 1

JLS 15.25 Conditional Operator ? :

The conditional operator ? : uses the boolean value of one expression to decide which of two other expressions should be evaluated.

JLS 15.28 Constant Expression

A compile-time constant expression is an expression denoting a value of primitive type or a String that does not complete abruptly and is composed using only the following:

• The ternary conditional operator ? :

Thus, the Java Language Specification officially calls it the (ternary) conditional operator.

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Java Coding Conventions - Indentation

Here are three acceptable ways to format ternary expressions:

alpha = (aLongBooleanExpression) ? beta : gamma;  

alpha = (aLongBooleanExpression) ? beta
                                 : gamma;  

alpha = (aLongBooleanExpression)
        ? beta 
        : gamma;