Java casting “.class”-operator used on a generic type, e.g. List, to “Class” and to “Class>”

Question

I use the .class-operator to supply information about the contained type to a generic class. For non-generic contained types, e.g. Integer.class,

Answer 1

Class<List<Integer>> tListInt3 = 
            (Class<List<Integer>>) ((Class<Integer>)List.class);

that doesn't work. you probably meant

Class<List<Integer>> tListInt3 = 
            (Class<List<Integer>>) ((Class)List.class);

we can always cast from one type to another by up-cast then down-cast

    Integer x = (Integer)(Object)"string";

The type of List.class is Class<List>; it is not a subtype/supertype of Class<List<Whatever>> therefore direct cast between the two types is illegal.

It can be argued that Class<List<Integer>> doesn't exist - there is only a class for List; there is no such class for List<Integer> (which really is just List at runtime)

However, this is a flaw of Java type system; in practice we do need things like Class<List<Integer>>. Our solution - casting and pretending Class<List<Int>> exits - is likewise flawed - but it's not our fault.