| This operator is a shorthand version of the if/else construct that some developers find confusing, and others like. It takes the following form:
boolean expression ? action if true : action if false
The first part is an expression that evaluates to either true or false . The code after the question mark executes if the expression is true; the code after the colon executes only if the expression is false. It serves as a replacement shorthand for the following construct:
if (boolean expression) { action if true; } else { action if false; }
So it looks like this in code:
public int returnLesserOfTwo(int x, int y) { return (x < y ? x : y); }
If you pass that method an x value of -20 and a y value of -80, it returns -80. I like it. Just don't nest them if you want to eschew obfuscation. Here's what I mean. Three nested ternary operators just isn't pretty.
private static boolean badTernaryNest() { return (6%3>1)?(5>10?(2<=3):(3*4<10?4>3:7==7)):false; }
Although you can do that (it returns false if you're interested), please don't. It is almost guaranteed to incur the wrath of anyone who has to read your code. | 