Optional

Optional can avoid null of an Object.

public static void nullable() {
    Optional<Integer> i =  Optional.fromNullable(null);
    System.out.println(i.or(2));    // output 2, because is null
    System.out.println(i.get());    // IllegalStateException
}

public static void absent() {
    Optional<Integer> i =  Optional.absent();
    System.out.println(i.or(2));    // output 2, because value is absent
    System.out.println(i.get());    // IllegalStateException
}

public static void of() {
    Optional<Integer> i =  Optional.of(1);
    System.out.println(i.get());    // output 1
    System.out.println(i.or(2));    // return 1, because it has value
}

Best use case is that when we initialize the value, we use Optional.fromNullable(). When we get the value, we use Optional.or(), Optional.orNull().

Reference: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/guava/guava_optional_class.htm