Why Can't Java Create Generic Array Types?

Creating Generic Array Types in Java

Java differs from certain .NET implementations in its handling of generic array types.

The Problem

Consider the following code:

private T[] elements = new T[initialCapacity];

This code attempts to create an array of generic type T. However, Java prohibits this syntax.

объяснение

The reason behind this restriction lies in Java's runtime array implementation. Unlike generics, Java arrays store information about their component type at runtime. Consequently, the component type must be known when the array is created.

Since the parameter T represents a generic type and its actual type is determined at runtime, it is impossible to ascertain the array's component type at compile time. This would lead to runtime errors when trying to access the array elements.

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