| # AutoValue |
| |
| *Generated immutable value classes for Java 8+* <br /> |
| ***Kevin Bourrillion, Éamonn McManus*** <br /> |
| **Google, Inc.** |
| |
| **Value classes** are extremely common in Java projects. These are classes for |
| which you want to treat any two instances with suitably equal field values as |
| interchangeable. That's right: we're talking about those classes where you wind |
| up implementing `equals`, `hashCode` and `toString` in a bloated, repetitive, |
| formulaic yet error-prone fashion. |
| |
| Writing these methods the first time is not too bad, with the aid of a few |
| helper methods and IDE templates. But once written they continue to burden |
| reviewers, editors and future readers. Their wide expanses of boilerplate |
| sharply decrease the signal-to-noise ratio of your code... and they love to |
| harbor hard-to-spot bugs. |
| |
| AutoValue provides an easier way to create immutable value classes, with a lot |
| less code and less room for error, while **not restricting your freedom** to |
| code almost any aspect of your class exactly the way you want it. |
| |
| For more information, consult the [detailed documentation]. |
| |
| **Note:** If you are using Kotlin then its |
| [data classes](https://kotlinlang.org/docs/data-classes.html) are usually more |
| appropriate than AutoValue. Likewise, if you are using a version of Java that |
| has [records] then those are usually more appropriate. You can still |
| use [AutoBuilder] to make builders for data classes or records. |
| |
| [detailed documentation]: userguide/index.md |
| [records]: userguide/records.md |
| [AutoBuilder]: userguide/autobuilder.md |
