Identify and apply functional programming principles in Java to improve immutability, expressiveness, and maintainability.
Prerequisites: Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile before applying any changes. If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until the project compiles successfully. Also verify that the project's maven-compiler-plugin source/target supports the Java features being used.
Core areas: Immutable objects and Records (JEP 395), pure functions free of side effects, functional interfaces (Function, Predicate, Consumer, Supplier) and custom @FunctionalInterface types, lambda expressions and method references, Stream API (filter/map/reduce pipelines, parallel streams, toUnmodifiable collectors), Optional idiomatic usage (map/flatMap/filter/orElse over isPresent()+get()), function compositi...
Use when you need to apply functional programming principles in Java — including writing immutable objects and Records, pure functions, functional interfaces, lambda expressions, Stream API pipelines, Optional for null safety, function composition, higher-order functions, pattern matching for instanceof and switch, sealed classes/interfaces for controlled hierarchies, Stream Gatherers for custom operations, currying/partial application, effect boundary separation, and concurrent-safe functional patterns. Part of the skills-for-java project Source: jabrena/cursor-rules-java.