From Java to Groovy

You can convert a Java class to Groovy class in seven steps. Let’s consider this example:

public class HelloWorld {

  private String name;

  public String getName() {
    return name;
  }
  public void setName(String name) {
    this.name = name;
  }

  public String sayHello() {
    return "Hello " + this.name + "!";
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    HelloWorld helloWorld = new HelloWorld();
    helloWorld.setName("josdem");
    System.out.println(helloWorld.sayHello());
  }
}

Step One:

• Every class, method or field in Groovy is public at least you specify that is not.
• ; is optional

class HelloWorld {
  private String name

  String getName() {
    return name
  }

  void setName(String name) {
    this.name = name
  }

  String sayHello() {
    return "Hello " + this.name + "!"
  }

  static void main(String[] args) {
    HelloWorld helloWorld = new HelloWorld()
    helloWorld.setName("josdem")
    System.out.println(helloWorld.sayHello())
  }
}

Step Two:

Since Groovy has methods public, there is not necessary to specify set and get

class HelloWorld {
  String name

  String sayHello() {
    return "Hello " + this.name + "!"
  }

  static void main(String[] args) {
    HelloWorld helloWorld = new HelloWorld()
    helloWorld.setName("josdem")
    System.out.println(helloWorld.sayHello())
  }
}

Step Three:

Groovy uses def to specify dynamic typing (DuckTyping) type check is defined at runtime

class HelloWorld {
  def name

  def sayHello() {
    return "Hello " + this.name + "!"
  }

  static void main(def args) {
    def helloWorld = new HelloWorld()
    helloWorld.setName("josdem")
    System.out.println(helloWorld.sayHello())
  }
}

Step Four:

Groovy introduces placeholder using the dollar sign to specify a variable inside in a doube quoted string

class HelloWorld {
  def name

  def sayHello() {
    return "Hello ${name}!"
  }

  static void main(def args) {
    def helloWorld = new HelloWorld()
    helloWorld.setName("josdem")
    System.out.println(helloWorld.sayHello())
  }
}

Step Five:

In Groovy the return keyword is optional, and the return value is the last expresion in a context (function)

class HelloWorld {
  def name

  def sayHello() {
    "Hello ${name}!"
  }

  static void main(def args) {
    def helloWorld = new HelloWorld()
    helloWorld.setName("josdem")
    System.out.println(helloWorld.sayHello())
  }
}

Step Six:

The POJO (POGO in Groovy) has a constructor that accepts a Map so you can initialize an object with a map

class HelloWorld {
  def name

  def sayHello() {
    "Hello ${name}!"
  }

  static void main(def args) {
    def helloWorld = new HelloWorld(name:'josdem')
    System.out.println(helloWorld.sayHello())
  }
}

Step Seven:

• Groovy supports scripting style
• You can short System.out.println to println
• Parenthesis are optional in there are at least one parameter

class HelloWorld {
  def name

  def sayHello() {
    "Hello ${name}!"
  }
}

def helloWorld = new HelloWorld(name:'josdem')
println helloWorld.sayHello()

To browse the project go here, to download the project:

git clone https://github.com/josdem/groovy-techtalks.git
git fetch
git checkout feature/from-java-to-groovy

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