Method reference for static and instance methods

Question

I am unable to grasp the concept of Method references in case of instance methods in Java

For example in the example below, the compiler is giving error in the list line.

I have seen the examples of String::toUpperCase.

I am confused over the point that (1) String is a class and toUpperCase is instance method. Java allows String::toUpperCase (2) Why it is not allowing in my case:- AppTest::makeUppercase

package mja;

import java.util.function.Function;
public class AppTest {

    public String makeUppercase(String source){
        return source.toUpperCase();
    }
    
    public void printFormattedString(String string, Function<String, String> formatter){
        System.out.println(formatter.apply(string));
    }
    
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        AppTest appTest = new AppTest();
        String source = "Hello World!";
        
        // Below statement compiled successfully
        appTest.printFormattedString(source, appTest::makeUppercase);

        // Getting error that non-static method can't be referenced from static context
        appTest.printFormattedString(source, AppTest::makeUppercase);
    }
}

Answer 1

Why it is not allowing AppTest::makeUppercase?

The short answer is that AppTest::makeUppercase isn't valid "reference to an instance method of an arbitrary object of a particular type". AppTest::makeUppercase must implement interface Function<AppTest, String> to be valid reference.

Details:

There are 4 kinds of method references in Java:

1. ContainingClass::staticMethodName - reference to a static method
2. containingObject::instanceMethodName - reference to an instance method of a particular object
3. ContainingType::methodName - reference to an instance method of an arbitrary object of a particular type
4. ClassName::new - reference to a constructor

Every single kind of method reference requires corresponding Function interface implementation. You use as a parameter the reference to an instance method of an arbitrary object of a particular type. This kind of method reference has no explicit parameter variable in a method reference and requires implementation of the interface Function<ContainingType, String>. In other words, the type of the left operand has to be AppTest to make AppTest::makeUppercase compilable. String::toUpperCase works properly because the type of parameter and type of the instance are the same - String.

import static java.lang.System.out;

import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Optional;
import java.util.function.Function;
import java.util.function.Supplier;
import java.util.function.UnaryOperator;

class ReferenceSource {

    private String value;

    public ReferenceSource() {
    }

    public ReferenceSource(String value) {
        this.value = value;
    }

    public String doInstanceMethodOfParticularObject(final String value) {
        return ReferenceSource.toUpperCase(value);
    }

    public static String doStaticMethod(final String value) {
        return ReferenceSource.toUpperCase(value);
    }

    public String doInstanceMethodOfArbitraryObjectOfParticularType() {
        return ReferenceSource.toUpperCase(this.value);
    }

    private static String toUpperCase(final String value) {
        return Optional.ofNullable(value).map(String::toUpperCase).orElse("");
    }
}

public class Main {
    public static void main(String... args) {
        // #1 Ref. to a constructor
        final Supplier<ReferenceSource> refConstructor = ReferenceSource::new;
        final Function<String, ReferenceSource> refParameterizedConstructor = value -> new ReferenceSource(value);

        final ReferenceSource methodReferenceInstance = refConstructor.get();

        // #2 Ref. to an instance method of a particular object
        final UnaryOperator<String> refInstanceMethodOfParticularObject = methodReferenceInstance::doInstanceMethodOfParticularObject;

        // #3 Ref. to a static method
        final UnaryOperator<String> refStaticMethod = ReferenceSource::doStaticMethod;

        // #4 Ref. to an instance method of an arbitrary object of a particular type
        final Function<ReferenceSource, String> refInstanceMethodOfArbitraryObjectOfParticularType = ReferenceSource::doInstanceMethodOfArbitraryObjectOfParticularType;

        Arrays.stream(new String[] { "a", "b", "c" }).map(refInstanceMethodOfParticularObject).forEach(out::print);
        Arrays.stream(new String[] { "d", "e", "f" }).map(refStaticMethod).forEach(out::print);
        Arrays.stream(new String[] { "g", "h", "i" }).map(refParameterizedConstructor).map(refInstanceMethodOfArbitraryObjectOfParticularType)
                .forEach(out::print);
    }
}

Additionally, you could take a look at this and that thread.