I’ve just been doing some reading up on some various Java documentation – and came across the list of new language features in Java 5 (yeah – I know, we’re at 6 now).
At any rate, I came across this gem about static imports, copied verbatim from Sun’s online documentation:
So when should you use static import? Very sparingly! Only use it when you’d otherwise be tempted to declare local copies of constants, or to abuse inheritance (the Constant Interface Antipattern). In other words, use it when you require frequent access to static members from one or two classes.
So that begs the question, why bother adding static imports as a core language feature at all, if the documentation basically says (in PR Speak to English, with apologies to John Gruber):
We have wicked awesome new language features including static imports! But FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD, DON’T USE STATIC IMPORTS, IT WILL TURN YOUR CODE TO SLOPPY CRAP!
Thanks, Sun. Next time, add some language features that we have your blessing to actually utilize.
Note to Sun: I like closures, and if you build them into the language, try doing it using syntax that doesn’t suck (I’m looking at you, generics).