How to log filtered values in Java Streams

Ravi :

I have a requirement to log/sysout the filtered values in Java Streams. I am able to log/sysout the non-filtered value using peek() method. However, can someone please let me know how to log filtered values?

For example, let's say I have a list of Person objects like this:

List<Person> persons = Arrays.asList(new Person("John"), new Person("Paul"));

I want to filter out those persons who are not "John" as follows:

persons.stream().filter(p -> !"John".equals(p.getName())).collect(Collectors.toList());

However, I have to log the details of that "John" person which is filtered. Can someone please help me achieve this?

Grzegorz Piwowarek :

If you want to integrate it with Stream API, there's not much you can do other than introducing the logging manually. The safest way would be to introduce the logging in the filter() method itself:

List<Person> filtered = persons.stream()
      .filter(p -> {
          if (!"John".equals(p.getName())) {
              return true;
          } else {
              System.out.println(p.getName());
              return false;
          }})
      .collect(Collectors.toList());

Keep in mind that introduction of side-effects to Stream API is shady and you need to be aware of what you're doing.

---

You could also construct a generic wrapper solution:

private static <T> Predicate<T> andLogFilteredOutValues(Predicate<T> predicate) {
    return value -> {
        if (predicate.test(value)) {
            return true;
        } else {
            System.out.println(value);
            return false;
        }
    };
}

and then simply:

List<Person> persons = Arrays.asList(new Person("John"), new Person("Paul"));

List<Person> filtered = persons.stream()
  .filter(andLogFilteredOutValues(p -> !"John".equals(p.getName())))
  .collect(Collectors.toList());

---

...or even make the action customizable:

private static <T> Predicate<T> andLogFilteredOutValues(Predicate<T> predicate, Consumer<T> action) {
    Objects.requireNonNull(predicate);
    Objects.requireNonNull(action);

    return value -> {
        if (predicate.test(value)) {
            return true;
        } else {
            action.accept(value);
            return false;
        }
    };
}

then:

List<Person> filtered = persons.stream()
  .filter(andLogFilteredOutValues(p -> !"John".equals(p.getName()), System.out::println))
  .collect(Collectors.toList());