Arrays.parallel vs Arrays.asStream

[Dan Smith]

On Aug 31, 2012, at 10:14 AM, Aleksey Shipilev <aleksey.shipilev at oracle.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I found the inconsistency in API for Arrays in it2 branch:
>  Arrays.asList(T... t)   // returns List<T>
>  Arrays.parallel(T[] t)  // returns Stream<T> (parallel)
>  Arrays.asStream(T... t) // returns Stream<T> (sequential?)
> 
> Two basic options:
> - rename parallel() to asParallel() or asParallelStream().
> - rename asStream() to sequential()
> 
> Also can be the mixture of both.

I wouldn't put 'asList' in the same category as 'parallel'/'asStream'.  'asList' produces an equivalent to the array, wrapped in a different API.  The other two produce streams, which in it2 are more like cursors or iterators -- it is an object that is connected to an array, but it's not an equivalent of the array under a different API.  Each operation are more like a "get" than an "as".

With that in mind, my opinion is that something like your second option -- eliminating the 'as' part of the name -- seems most appropriate.

—Dan