Java Academy · Lesson

Records vs Classes vs Lombok

Compare records with traditional classes and Lombok annotations for choosing the right tool.

Records vs Classes vs Lombok

Java offers several approaches to creating data-carrying types: plain classes with boilerplate, Records (Java 16+), or Lombok annotations. Choosing the right one depends on the use case.

The Boilerplate Problem

A plain Java class for a simple data carrier requires significant boilerplate: constructor, getters, equals, hashCode, toString — all for just a few fields.

// Traditional class — lots of boilerplate
class ProductOld {
    private final String id;
    private final String name;
    private final double price;

    public ProductOld(String id, String name, double price) {
        this.id = id; this.name = name; this.price = price;
    }
    public String getId() { return id; }
    public String getName() { return name; }
    public double getPrice() { return price; }

    @Override public boolean equals(Object o) { /* ... */ }
    @Override public int hashCode() { /* ... */ }
    @Override public String toString() { /* ... */ }
}

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