What is the Java equivalent for LINQ?

Diving deeper: Beyond basic stream operations

Digging up advanced features with streams

Java Streams aren't just about simple filtering and transforming operations. They also provide short-circuiting operations, such as findFirst or anyMatch, opening up the world of stopping the operation as soon as the result is found—basically working out smarter, not harder.

Going old school with chained methods

If you are stuck in a project which cannot be updated to Java 8, don't fret! The Coollection library got you covered. It offers LINQ-like expressive data querying while keeping the way of chained methods for all your C# nostalgia:

List<User> users = Coollection.from(allUsers).where("name", eq("Alice")).all();
//Where is Alice? That's what Wonderland wants to know 🐇⏱️!
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Building a tailor-made custom solution

If you need to draw outside the lines, explore options like creating a custom LINQ equivalent using tools like javacc. Detour around limitations and create a system precisely tailored to your needs. It's like becoming a javatar building your own Java universe.

To the rescue: Additional libraries

Type-safety with Lambdaj

The Lambdaj library lets you create type-safe, SQL-like operations on collections. It’s sort of a sherlock holmes that pokes around your data with a type-safe, easier-to-read way:

List<Person> adults = select(persons, having(on(Person.class).getAge(), greaterThan(18)));
//No ID, no entry! 🎫🚫
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Please note, Lambdaj is archived, it's the Java version of a classic Atari game.

SQL-imitating libraries

If you miss the good old SQL-Like querying in Java, libraries like jOOQ, JINQ, and JaQue build bridges from the Java island to the SQL mainland offering sort of a secret handshake between databases and Java code:

List<Book> books = jooq.selectFrom(BOOK)
                        .where(BOOK.AUTHOR.eq("Author Name"))
                        .fetchInto(Book.class);
//Author, author! Wherefore art thou author? 📚❓
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Quaere—I'd avoid it like the black spot. It’s unmaintained and may lead to "abandon all hope, ye who enter here" kind of situations.

Going reactive with Project Reactor

Riding on the wave of asynchronous, non-blocking operations? Project Reactor is your surfboard for Reactive Programming on the JVM that gives you the power to ride the wave just like LINQ.

A trip down Java's lambda lane

Lambda expressions, a natural evolution in Java, are similar to C#'s delegates. With these, Java and C# are like siblings who often disagree but occasionally wear matching outfits. Recommendation? Make sure to read Brian Goetz's articles, he’s like the Charles Darwin of Java lambda evolution. Also, don't forget: NetBeans 8 fully supports conversion to Java 8 features.

Equip yourself: Developer's toolkit

To master advanced data manipulation in Java, we suggest "Java 8 in Action" by Manning. You know it's serious business when they have the word "action" in the title. It's like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Java universe.