comparators.CharComparator Maven / Gradle / Ivy

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package net.mintern.primitive.comparators;

/**
 * A comparison function that imposes total ordering on {@code char} values.
 * 
 * This is a {@code @FunctionalInterface} even though it isn't declared as one,
 * so that it can be used in Java 6+.
 */
public interface CharComparator {

    /**
     * Compares {@code c1} and {@code c2}. Returns a negative value to indicate
     * that {@code c1 < c2}, 0 to indicate that {@code c1 == c2}, and a positive
     * value to indicate that {@code c1 > c2}.
     * 

     * Implementations of this method must maintain the following invariants:
     * 

     *  {@code s(compare(x, y)) == -s(compare(y, x))}
     *  
{@code s(compare(x, y)) == s(compare(y, z))} →
     *      {@code s(compare(x, y)) == s(compare(x, z))} (transitivity)
     *  
{@code compare(x, y) == 0} →
     *      {@code s(compare(x, z)) == s(compare(y, z))} ∀ {@code z}
     * 
     * 
     * where {@code s(x)} is defined as follows:
     * 

     *  {@code x < 0}: -1
     *  
{@code x == 0}: 0
     *  
{@code x > 0}: 1
     * 
     *
     * @param c1 the first char to compare
     * @param c2 the second char to compare
     * @return a negative value, 0, or a positive value to indicate that
     *      {@code c1} is less than, equal to, or greater than {@code c2},
     *      respectively
     */
    int compare(char c1, char c2);
}