Java 8 introduced functional programming concepts through Lambda Expressions, Functional Interfaces, and the Streams API, promoting a more expressive, concise, and readable code.
Functional programming treats functions as first-class citizens, emphasizing pure functions, immutability, and declarative constructs for data processing.
Lambda Expressions are anonymous functions in Java that enable a clear and concise representation of method interfaces.
Functional Interfaces have one abstract method and can include default or static methods, facilitating lambda expressions and found in the java.util.function package.
Streams in Java are pipelines for data processing, supporting operations like filter, map, reduce, and collect without storing data itself.
Common operations in Streams include filter, map, sorted, limit, and collect for various data processing tasks.
Practical examples demonstrate how Streams can filter, transform, and process data efficiently, improving code readability and maintainability.
Real-world use cases include filtering and transforming user data, event handling, sorting, and more, showcasing the versatility of Lambdas and Streams.
Best practices involve keeping lambdas concise, using method references, avoiding side-effects, and using parallel streams judiciously for performance.
Mastering these features empowers Java developers to write code that is more concise, expressive, thread-safe, and easier to maintain, ushering in the functional future of Java.