How does Java 8's Optional affect performance?

How does Java 8's Optional affect performance?

Java 8's Optional can improve code readability and reduce null pointer exceptions, but it may introduce some overhead.

What kind of overhead are we talking about?

The overhead mainly comes from the additional object creation and garbage collection, which can impact performance in tight loops.

Is it better to use Optional or just handle nulls directly?

It depends on the context. Use Optional for better readability and safety, but for performance-critical code, direct null handling might be faster.

Can you give an example of when to use Optional?

Sure! Use Optional when a method might not return a value, like finding a user by ID, to avoid null checks.