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Under what circumstances is an enum more appropriate than, for example, a Collection that guarantees unique elements (an implementer of java.util.Set, I guess...)?
(This is kind of a follow up from my previous question)
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Enums are lists of constants. When you need a predefined list of values which do represent some kind of numeric or textual data, you should use an enum. You should always use enums when a variable (especially a method parameter) can only take one out of a small set of possible values.
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The only difference is that enum constants are public , static and final (unchangeable - cannot be overridden). An enum cannot be used to create objects, and it cannot extend other classes (but it can implement interfaces).
An enumeration, or Enum , is a symbolic name for a set of values. Enumerations are treated as data types, and you can use them to create sets of constants for use with variables and properties.
Basically when it's a well-defined, fixed set of values which are known at compile-time.
You can use an enum as a set very easily (with EnumSet) and it allows you to define behaviour, reference the elements by name, switch on them etc.
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