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Language beginner

Text blocks for multiline strings

Write multiline strings naturally with triple-quote text blocks.

Code Comparison
✕ Java 8 
String json = "{\n" +
    "  \"name\": \"Duke\",\n" +
    "  \"age\": 30\n" +
    "}";
✓ Java 15+ 
String json = """
    {
      "name": "Duke",
      "age": 30
    }
    """;
Why the modern way wins
📖

Readable as-is

JSON, SQL, and HTML look like real JSON, SQL, and HTML in your source.

🚫

No escape hell

Embedded quotes don't need backslash escaping.

📐

Smart indentation

Leading whitespace is trimmed automatically based on the closing delimiter position.

Old Approach
String Concatenation
Modern Approach
Text Blocks
Since JDK
15
Difficulty
beginner
JDK Support
Text blocks for multiline strings
Available

Widely available since JDK 15 (Sept 2020)

How it works

Text blocks let you write multiline strings exactly as they appear. No more escaping quotes or adding \n. The compiler strips incidental indentation automatically.

Related patterns

Language beginner

Switch expressions

Java 8
String msg;
switch (day) {
    case MONDAY:
        msg = "Start";
        break;
    case FRIDAY:
        msg = "End";
        break;
    default:
        msg = "Mid";
}
Java 14+
String msg = switch (day) {
    case MONDAY  -> "Start";
    case FRIDAY  -> "End";
    default      -> "Mid";
};
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JDK 14+ →
Language beginner

Pattern matching for instanceof

Java 8
if (obj instanceof String) {
    String s = (String) obj;
    System.out.println(s.length());
}
Java 16+
if (obj instanceof String s) {
    System.out.println(s.length());
}
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JDK 16+ →
Language intermediate

Exhaustive switch without default

Java 8
// Must add default even though
// all cases are covered
double area(Shape s) {
    if (s instanceof Circle c)
        return Math.PI * c.r() * c.r();
    else if (s instanceof Rect r)
        return r.w() * r.h();
    else throw new IAE();
}
Java 21+
// sealed Shape permits Circle, Rect
double area(Shape s) {
    return switch (s) {
        case Circle c ->
            Math.PI * c.r() * c.r();
        case Rect r ->
            r.w() * r.h();
    }; // no default needed!
}
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JDK 21+ →
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