Java Conditional Operator ? : (Ternary Operator)

Java conditional operator (also known as ternary operator) is a conditional statement and can also be considered as a short version of if else. Ternary operator has three operands and return one of the 2nd or 3rd values depends on the first boolean expression.

24 March 2020 0 Java

Java Conditional Operator ? : (Ternary Operator)

Conditional Operator Syntax

booleanExpression? expression1: expression2

If the booleanExpression is true, then expression1 value is returned. If it is false, then expression2 value is returned.

Example 1: (a > b) ? a : b;

Hint: if (a > b) is true, then a will be returned. else, b will be returned.

int a = 5;
int b = 4;
int c = (a > b) ? a : b;
//since a>b
//c = 5

Example 2: To compare the conditional statement with the if-else statement, let's write the if-else equivalent of the first example.

int a = 5;
int b = 4;
int c;
//int c = (a > b) ? a : b;

if (a > b)
	c = a;
else
	c = b;

//since a>b
//c = 5

Example 3: It is also possible to write nested conditional statements in Java. Let's write a nested if/else if/else statement with both if and The Ternary Operators.

IF Version:

int a=5;
int b=5;
String c;

if(a > b) {
    c = "greater";
}
else if(a == b) {
    c = "equals";
}
else {
	c = "smaller";
}

System.out.println(c); //equals

Conditional Statement Version:

Hint: nested Sytax is:

Condition1 ? X : (Condition2 ? Y : Z);

Solution:

int a=5;
int b=5;
String c;

c = a > b ? "greater" : (a == b ? "equals" : "smaller");
System.out.println(c); //equals