Get Programming with Scala

14 Pattern matching

After reading this lesson, you’ll be able to

• Write code that uses pattern matching as an alternative to an if-else construct
• Pattern match over a closed set of values

After discovering how to express interfaces in Scala using a trait, you’ll see how to use pattern matching. You can use pattern matching as an alternative to an if-else construct, which is particularly useful when having many different condition branches. The Scala pattern matching looks similar to the switch/case statement of other languages, such as Java, JavaScript, and C++. It is often more powerful and versatile than in other languages, thanks to its expressive syntax and dedicated support for sealed elements and classes. In this lesson, you’ll learn ...