StringBuilder vs String concatenation in toString() in Java

Question

Given the 2 toString() implementations below, which one is preferred:

public String toString(){
    return \"{a:\"+ a + \", b:\" + b + \", c: \"         


        

Answer 1

I also had clash with my boss on the fact whether to use append or +.As they are using Append(I still cant figure out as they say every time a new object is created). So I thought to do some R&D.Although I love Michael Borgwardt explaination but just wanted to show an explanation if somebody will really need to know in future.

/**
 *
 * @author Perilbrain
 */
public class Appc {
    public Appc() {
        String x = "no name";
        x += "I have Added a name" + "We May need few more names" + Appc.this;
        x.concat(x);
        // x+=x.toString(); --It creates new StringBuilder object before concatenation so avoid if possible
        //System.out.println(x);
    }

    public void Sb() {
        StringBuilder sbb = new StringBuilder("no name");
        sbb.append("I have Added a name");
        sbb.append("We May need few more names");
        sbb.append(Appc.this);
        sbb.append(sbb.toString());
        // System.out.println(sbb.toString());
    }
}

and disassembly of above class comes out as

 .method public ()V //public Appc()
  .limit stack 2
  .limit locals 2
met001_begin:                                  ; DATA XREF: met001_slot000i
  .line 12
    aload_0 ; met001_slot000
    invokespecial java/lang/Object.()V
  .line 13
    ldc "no name"
    astore_1 ; met001_slot001
  .line 14

met001_7:                                      ; DATA XREF: met001_slot001i
    new java/lang/StringBuilder //1st object of SB
    dup
    invokespecial java/lang/StringBuilder.()V
    aload_1 ; met001_slot001
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lan\
g/StringBuilder;
    ldc "I have Added a nameWe May need few more names"
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lan\
g/StringBuilder;
    aload_0 ; met001_slot000
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.append(Ljava/lang/Object;)Ljava/lan\
g/StringBuilder;
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.toString()Ljava/lang/String;
    astore_1 ; met001_slot001
  .line 15
    aload_1 ; met001_slot001
    aload_1 ; met001_slot001
    invokevirtual java/lang/String.concat(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/Strin\
g;
    pop
  .line 18
    return //no more SB created
met001_end:                                    ; DATA XREF: met001_slot000i ...

; ===========================================================================

;met001_slot000                                ; DATA XREF: r ...
    .var 0 is this LAppc; from met001_begin to met001_end
;met001_slot001                                ; DATA XREF: +6w ...
    .var 1 is x Ljava/lang/String; from met001_7 to met001_end
  .end method
;44-1=44
; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------


; Segment type: Pure code
  .method public Sb()V //public void Sb
  .limit stack 3
  .limit locals 2
met002_begin:                                  ; DATA XREF: met002_slot000i
  .line 21
    new java/lang/StringBuilder
    dup
    ldc "no name"
    invokespecial java/lang/StringBuilder.(Ljava/lang/String;)V
    astore_1 ; met002_slot001
  .line 22

met002_10:                                     ; DATA XREF: met002_slot001i
    aload_1 ; met002_slot001
    ldc "I have Added a name"
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lan\
g/StringBuilder;
    pop
  .line 23
    aload_1 ; met002_slot001
    ldc "We May need few more names"
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lan\
g/StringBuilder;
    pop
  .line 24
    aload_1 ; met002_slot001
    aload_0 ; met002_slot000
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.append(Ljava/lang/Object;)Ljava/lan\
g/StringBuilder;
    pop
  .line 25
    aload_1 ; met002_slot001
    aload_1 ; met002_slot001
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.toString()Ljava/lang/String;
    invokevirtual java/lang/StringBuilder.append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lan\
g/StringBuilder;
    pop
  .line 28
    return
met002_end:                                    ; DATA XREF: met002_slot000i ...


;met002_slot000                                ; DATA XREF: Sb+25r
    .var 0 is this LAppc; from met002_begin to met002_end
;met002_slot001                                ; DATA XREF: Sb+9w ...
    .var 1 is sbb Ljava/lang/StringBuilder; from met002_10 to met002_end
  .end method
;96-49=48
; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the above two codes you can see Michael is right.In each case only one SB object is created.