Question

Been searching Google/stackoverflow with various terms but they all are way too broad to pinpoint what I’m trying to find.

I am just looking at some AWS API code and want to read up on how to create my own code like this, which, I’m assuming is passing parameters using a chaining style:

ListDomainsRequest sdbRequest = new ListDomainsRequest().withMaxNumberOfDomains(100);
                                                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

as well as the use of the class keyword herein:

AwsConsoleApp.class.getResourceAsStream("AwsCredentials.properties")
              ^^^^^

What are the proper names for these techniques? Thanks!

Answer 1

I think what you are referring to is the Fluent Interface. A quick wiki snip is…

A fluent interface is normally implemented by using method chaining to relay the instruction context of a subsequent call

Here is also a nice blog post by Adewale Oshineye giving some general thoughts on the subject as well.

[update] I just realized you question about class is separate from the first. For that you just need to realize that .class is a way to access the object’s java.lang.Class type which is useful in certain cases.