BiConsumer is a functional interface in Java that handles operations that do not return results. It belongs to the java.util.function package and is suitable for scenarios where two data are required to operate at the same time, such as key-value pairs that traverse Map. A common usage is to iterate with Map's forEach method. Unlike other functional interfaces such as Consumer and BiFunction, BiConsumer does not generate a return value. The implementation methods include lambda expressions, method references and anonymous classes. When using them, you need to pay attention to the order of type parameters, non-returnable values, and exception handling.
A BiConsumer
in Java is a functional interface that represents an operation that takes two input arguments and returns no result. It's part of the java.util.function
package, introduced in Java 8, and is commonly used when you need to perform some action using two values without producing a new result.

When Would You Use BiConsumer?
You'll typically see BiConsumer
used in scenarios where you want to process two pieces of data together — for example, while working with maps. A classic use case is looping through entries in a Map<k></k>
using the forEach
method, which accepts a BiConsumer super K, ? super V>
.
Here's how it looks in practice:

Map<String, Integer> ages = new HashMap<>(); ages.put("Alice", 30); ages.put("Bob", 25); ages.forEach((name, age) -> System.out.println(name " is " age " years old."));
In this example, the lambda expression (name, age) -> ...
matches the BiConsumer<String, Integer>
expected by forEach
.
How Is BiConsumer Different From Other Functional Interfaces?
Java has several built-in functional interfaces, and each serves a different purpose. Here's how BiConsumer
compares:

- Consumer
: Takes one argument and returns nothing. Use this if your operation only needs a single input. - BiConsumer
: Takes two inputs and returns nothing — perfect for handling pairs like key-value entries. - Function
/ BiFunction : Used when you want to transform inputs into a result. These return something, unlike Consumer
orBiConsumer
. - Predicate
: For evaluating conditions (returns a boolean).
So if your goal isn't to compute a value but rather to do something with two inputs — like logging, updating state, or modifying external data structures — BiConsumer
fits the bill.
How Do You Implement BiConsumer?
Implementing a BiConsumer
can be done in multiple ways:
Using a lambda expression , which is the most common approach:
BiConsumer<String, String> greet = (greeting, name) -> System.out.println(greeting ", " name "!"); greet.accept("Hello", "John");
Using a method reference , especially when reusing existing methods:
public static void printGreeting(String greeting, String name) { System.out.println(greeting ", " name "!"); } BiConsumer<String, String> greeter = MyClass::printGreeting;
Using an anonymous class , though this is more verbose and less idiomatic these days:
BiConsumer<String, String> greeter = new BiConsumer<>() { @Override public void accept(String greeting, String name) { System.out.println(greeting ", " name "!"); } };
The
.accept()
method is what gets called to execute the logic inside aBiConsumer
.
Common Mistakes and Things to Watch Out For
Mixing up the order of type parameters : The first type corresponds to the first argument, and the second type to the second. If you reverse them, your code won't compile or will behave incorrectly.
Trying to return a value from BiConsumer : Since
BiConsumer
doesn't return anything, trying to return a computed result will force you to change your design — maybe aBiFunction
would be better suited.Forgetting to handle exceptions :
BiConsumer
doesn't declare any checked exceptions, so if your logic throws one, you'll need to wrap it or handle it inside the method.
So yes,
BiConsumer
might not be the flashiest part of Java's functional programming toolkit, but it's super handy when dealing with two inputs and side effects. And once you start working with things like maps or custom processing pipelines, it becomes a go-to tool.Basically that's it.
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