Ternary Operator Java: Uses and Exmaples

As you all know, Java is an increasingly popular and widely used coding language with numerous distinctive characteristics that help streamline and organize the coding process. 

The ternary operator in Java is an illustration of this potential capability. With the help of the Java ternary operator, if-else statements can be written more clearly and quickly. 

This operator is progressively growing in terms of popularity among developers. That’s because it helps them perform coding quickly, and they only have to write a few lines of code. Also read out guide on Polymorphism in Java.

That’s why aspiring developers should learn Java ternary operator by enrolling themselves in a full-stack development course. 

For now, this article covers a comprehensive guide on Java ternary operators to give a concise idea of what it’s all about. 

Ternary Operator in Java

The ternary operator in Java offers a condensed syntax for determining if a condition is true or false and returning a value determined by the outcome of the Boolean test. 

To write extremely condensed and maybe confusing code, if..else expressions can be substituted with the Java ternary operator.

The Java ternary operator adds simplicity and readability to developers’ code, which they adore. But new developers often find difficulty in understanding the syntax and symbols of the Java ternary operator.

Only the Java ternary operator supports three operands in a conditional statement. Java programmers often use the ternary operator in Java as a one-line alternative to the if-then-else expression. 

Developers can use the Java ternary operator as a substitution for if-else statements. Also, they can create switch statements with nested ternary operators. 

The conditional operator utilizes a smaller amount of space and assists in writing if-else statements speedily, even if it adheres to the exact identical algorithm as an if-else statement.

Overview of Syntax and Structure of Java Ternary Operators

The ternary operator in Java comes with the following syntax: 

The Java ternary operator symbol (?:) is frequently used as an acronym for the construct in publications and courses.

Despite writing this code: 

You can alternatively write: 

Here is a table demonstrating the structure of Ternary Operators in Java: 

                                      ↙         ↘

                     False                                  True

           : Part Gets Execute         ? Part Gets Execute

                       ↓                                         ↓

            Expression1                           Expression2

                       ↓                                         ↓

    Resultant Value of Expression       Variable

Examples to Illustrate the Syntax

Here are some Java ternary operator examples to know about: 

• Allocating a Value Based on a Condition
  int age = 21; String message = (age >= 21) ? "You can legally drink" : "You cannot legally drink"; System.out.println(message); // "You can legally drink"
• Returning a Value Depending on a Condition
  int x = 10; int y = 20; int max = (x > y) ? x : y; System.out.println(max); // 20
• Nesting Ternary Operators
  int a = 10; int b = 20; int c = (a > b) ? 1 : ((a < b) ? -1 : 0); System.out.println(c); // -1

Example of Java Ternary Operator

Below is a basic Java ternary operator example in action: 

Here’s how the above Java ternary operator example functions: 

• The ternary operator in Java determines if a number created at random is smaller than zero.
• The result value returned by the ternary operator in Java is stored in the program’s result variable, which is declared and assigned.
• The condition is satisfied, and the software returns a text String that is “negative” if the value is less than zero.
• The condition is false, and the software outputs a “positive” text String if the value exceeds zero.

The outcome of this Java ternary operator example is always “The random number is positive” since Math.random() always produces positive numbers.

Conclusion

Java has a ternary operator tool that enables you to build shorter if statements to manage the coding flow. Since they take three operands, they are known as ternary operators in Java.

We went over the fundamentals of Java ternary operators in this comprehensive guide. We also looked at the differences between Java if statements and ternary operators and saw both instances in operation. 

Do you wish to learn and know more about Java? If so, check this blog post on What is Arrays in Java | Everything You Need to Know!