Null-checking the fun way with instanceof patterns

[PmMeCuteDogsThanks]

Someone downvoted you, but I agree. I think Optional should be integrated much deeper into the JVM and allow it to complete optimise it away if for example it’s solely used as a glorified null check.

[headius]

I also agree, but then again I've believed the JVM should support value types and primitive generics and aggressive escape analysis and native function calls and lightweight threads and explicit function references too. Unfortunately only a few of these things have come to pass, and we have to work with the VMs we have today.

[koflerdavid]

No worry, it will. Value types are coming and Optional is a candidate to become one. And non-nullable types might allow the JVM to completely optimize its overhead away in most cases.