What is the difference between Boolean.TRUE and true in Java?

Question

PS: I understand the difference between "true" and true.

Edit: I also understand that Boolean.TRUE is a wrapper for the primitive true, my question then is - why does the primitive boolean accept Boolean.TRUE as a value? For instance,

boolean boolVar = Boolean.TRUE;

seems to be a valid statement.

Answer 1

The reason

boolean boolVar = Boolean.TRUE;

works is because of autounboxing, a Java 5 feature that allows a wrapper object to be converted to its primitive equivalent automatically when needed. The opposite, autoboxing, is also possible:

Boolean boolVar = true;

Answer 2

As the previous answers stated, Boolean.TRUE returns the wrapper object of the boolean value true, so for the contexts where we need to treat boolean's like objects (for example, having an ArrayList of booleans), we could use Boolean.TRUE or Boolean.FALSE

As for why:

boolean boolVar = Boolean.TRUE;

is valid is because of Autoboxing and Unboxing.

In short, the Java compiler, when it sees you treating a primitive like an object, such as

List<Boolean> listOfBoolean = new ArrayList<Boolean>();
boolean someBool = true;
listOfBoolean.add(someBool);

it will automatically wrap it, or autobox it

List<Boolean> listOfBoolean = new ArrayList<Boolean>();
boolean someBool = true;
listOfBoolean.add(Boolean.valueOf(someBool));

And if it sees you treating a wrapper object, like Boolean.TRUE, as a primitive, like:

boolean boolVar = Boolean.TRUE;

it will convert it down into a primitive, or unbox it, like if we did:

boolean boolVar = Boolean.TRUE.booleanValue();

Once upon a time, you'd have to do this by hand, but now, for better or for worse, this is mostly taken care of for you.

And if you're wondering why have Boolean.TRUE at all, it's because there is no need to have floating around lots of Boolean objects for true. Since a boolean can only be one of two values, it's simpler just to have them as constants rather than, for every time someone needs boxed up true:

Boolean trueBool = new Boolean(true);