Java Enums and its older version

Enums in java are mainly used for grouping similar kind of constants as a one unit. constants means static and final. Enums are introduced in JDK 1.5 onward. Before that similar kind of constants are grouped by declaring them as static and final in one class. Below example shows how the constants will look without enums.

Older Version:

class ConstantsWithoutEnums

{

    public static final String north = "NORTH";

    public static final String south = "SOUTH";

    public static final String east = "EAST";

    public static final String west = "WEST";

}

 

public class MainClass

{

    public static void main(String[] args)

    {

        System.out.println(ConstantsWithoutEnums.north);

        System.out.println(ConstantsWithoutEnums.south);

        System.out.println(ConstantsWithoutEnums.east);

        System.out.println(ConstantsWithoutEnums.west);

    }

}







New Version:




enum Directions {     NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST; }   public class EnumsExample {     public static void main(String[] args)     {                   Directions d2 = Directions.NORTH;         System.out.println(d2);           System.out.println(Directions.SOUTH); Directions d1 = Directions.EAST;       System.out.println(d1);           System.out.println(Directions.WEST);     } } Output: NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST