Deep dive into Java Enum

The enum in Java is a data type that contains a fixed set of constants

Java enums are a powerful feature introduced in JDK 5 that allows you to define a set of named constants. Here’s a deeper dive into what makes enums a versatile tool in Java.

The constructor of an enum must be private and cannot be public or protected. It must use the default access modifier.

public enum MobileOS{
    ANDROID("Android"), IOS("IOS"), WINDOWS("Windows");
    
    String os;
    MobileOS (String os){
        this.os=os;
    }
}

In the MobileOS enum, the constructor MobileOS(String os) is used to initialize and store constant values for the enum constants ANDROID, IOS, and WINDOWS.

Note: If the constructor were protected or public, it would allow the os value to be set dynamically from outside the enum, violating the principle of enums. Enums are designed to have a fixed set of instances, and making the constructor accessible outside the enum would compromise this immutability.

Use enums when you need a fixed set of constants that represent a well-defined set of values, as illustrated in the example with MobileOS where the enum defines a fixed set of operating systems: ANDROID, IOS, and WINDOWS.

Retrieving the os Value

public String getOs(){…