How to use Scala imports like Java static imports

This is an excerpt from the Scala Cookbook (partially modified for the internet). This is a short recipe, Recipe 7.5, “How to use ‘static imports’ in Scala.”

Problem

In Scala, you want to import members in a way similar to the Java static import approach, so you can refer to the member names directly, without having to prefix them with their class name.

Solution

Use this syntax to import all members of the Java Math class:

import java.lang.Math._

You can now access these members without having to precede them with the class name:

scala> import java.lang.Math._
import java.lang.Math._

scala> val a = sin(0)
a: Double = 0.0

scala> val a = cos(PI)
a: Double = −1.0

The Java Color class also demonstrates the usefulness of this technique:

scala> import java.awt.Color._
import java.awt.Color._

scala> println(RED)
java.awt.Color[r=255,g=0,b=0]

scala> val currentColor = BLUE
currentColor: java.awt.Color = java.awt.Color[r=0,g=0,b=255]

Enumerations are another great candidate for this technique. Given a Java enum like this:

package com.alvinalexander.dates;

public enum Day {
    SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY
}

you can import and use this enumeration in a Scala program like this:

import com.alvinalexander.dates.Day._

// somewhere after the import statement
if (date == SUNDAY || date == SATURDAY) println("It's the weekend.")

Discussion

Although some developers don’t like static imports, I find that this approach makes enums more readable. Just specifying the name of a class or enum before the constant makes the code less readable:

if (date == Day.SUNDAY || date == Day.SATURDAY) {
    println("It's the weekend.")
}

With the static import approach there’s no need for the leading “Day.” in the code, and it’s easier to read.

this post is sponsored by my books:
#1 New Release	FP Best Seller	Learn Scala 3	Learn FP Fast