What are your top 5 features that you love about Java 7?

If you have to list 5 best features of Java 7 that you wish you had a while ago what would that be?

Are there any pitfalls that you wished was addressed in Java 7?

For me it's invokedynamic, Diamond Operator, try-with-resources, NIO.2 API and multi-catch. I was pretty happy with the scope of Java 7, invokedynamic will prove to be its most important feature going forwards....

For me

Resource releasing without having finally block

[list]switch case variables accepting the string literals

Allowing underscores in between digits. Numeric value is more readable when we use underscores in between (e.g. Debit card or credit card number is 16 digit so if you use underscore in between for every 4 digits

SbhargavS Surimenu wrote:
switch case variables accepting the string literals

I can't understand why this wasn't in Java 1.1 or some other early release. Its so obvious. And strings are constants, why the delay?

For me, it's Diamond Operator, Catch multiple Exceptions, Try with Resources, Switch with String literals, and InvokeDynamism

1. Switch with Strings
2. Enhanced For loop
3. Try with resources
4. underscores between digits (I don't know how many times I've missed a zero when writing large numbers resulting in headaches later on)
5. Diamond operator

Andrew Desmond wrote:2. Enhanced For loop

That one was actually introduced earlier, in Java 5 I believe. But if it was introduced in Java 7, it would be my favorite Java 7 feature by a wide margin.

Pat Farrell wrote:I can't understand why this wasn't in Java 1.1 or some other early release. Its so obvious. And strings are constants, why the delay?

Apparently because of performance. Here is a good explanation http://stackoverflow.com/questions/338206/switch-statement-with-strings-in-java

My list:
1. Resource management in try blocks
2. Using strings in switch statements
3. Numeric literals with underscores
4. Multicatch blocks
5. NIO 2.0 API

NimbusLookAndFeel

That's been available for quite a while already.

I put my thoughts with code examples http://www.infoq.com/articles/java7-nio2

Quick recap:
1. new file io giving control over modern file systems especially POSIX alike.
2. Auto resources freeing
3. Forks for easier parallel programming
4. Switch with "String" cases (absolutely love it)
5. <> for reducing typing efforts

6. Just forgot variable arguments improvements giving me possibility to create generic arrays.

I am spoiled by Java 7 and can't wait using Java 8 with default methods, enclousers and other bells and whistles. What about you?

Same here .. waiting for Java 8 release... just download intermediate version of Java 8 binaries ... waiting to know what features shall be included in Java 8...