Why is this generic method to find the largest in a Java array not compiling? -

i'm trying learn generics in java, , would've thought method work finding largest in array:

  public static <t> t largestinarray(t[] inputarray){     t largest = inputarray[0];     (int = 1; < inputarray.length - 1; i++){       if (inputarray[i] > largest)         largest = inputarray[i];     }     return largest;   } 

but error saying: bad operand types binary operator '>' how should this?

you can use comparison operators on numeric types. if want compare generic types, you'll have ensure implement comparable, , call comparable.compare():

public static <t extends comparable<? super t>> t largestinarray(t[] inputarray) {     //...     if (inputarray[i].compareto(largest) > 0) {     //... } 

compareto() return 0 equal values, < 0 if target object has precedence, , > 0 if argument has precedence.

alternatively, can use custom comparator instead of relying on natural order:

public static <t> t largestinarray(t[] inputarray, comparator<? super t> comparator) {     //...     if (comparator.compare(inputarray[i], largest) > 0) {     //... } 

compare() works similar compareto() above.

note these both implemented collections helpers, can call wrapping array:

collections.max(arrays.aslist(inputarray)/*, comparator*/) 

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