Heap pollution

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In the Java programming language, heap pollution is a situation that arises when a variable of a parameterized type refers to an object that is not of that parameterized type. [1] This situation is normally detected during compilation and indicated with an unchecked warning. [1] Later, during runtime heap pollution will often cause a ClassCast Exception. [2]

Heap pollution in Java can occur when type arguments and variables are not reified at run-time. As a result, different parameterized types are implemented by the same class or interface at run time. All invocations of a given generic type declaration share a single run-time implementation. This results in the possibility of heap pollution. [2]

Under certain conditions, a variable of a parameterized type may refer to an object that is not of that parameterized type. The variable will always refer to an object that is an instance of a class that implements the parameterized type.

Heap Pollution in a non-varargs context

publicclassHeapPollutionDemo{publicstaticvoidmain(String[]args){Sets=newTreeSet<Integer>();Set<String>ss=s;// unchecked warnings.add(newInteger(42));// another unchecked warningIterator<String>iter=ss.iterator();while(iter.hasNext()){Stringstr=iter.next();// ClassCastException thrownSystem.out.println(str);}}}

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References

  1. 1 2 "The Java SE Tutorials". Oracle. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 Langer, Angelika. "Java Generics FAQs: Heap pollution". angelikalanger.com/. Retrieved 15 July 2014.