What does this code mean?

[abalfazl hossein]

1. package com.sybex.io;
2.
3. import java.io.*;
4. import java.util.ArrayList;
5.
6. public class ContactManager {
7.
8. public static void addContact(Contact contact, File dest)
9. throws IOException {
10. FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(dest, true);
11. BufferedOutputStream bos = new BufferedOutputStream(fos);
12. DataOutputStream out = new DataOutputStream(bos);
13. out.writeUTF(contact.name);
14. out.writeInt(contact.age);
15. out.writeLong(contact.cellPhone);
16. out.close();
17. bos.close();
18. fos.close();
19. }
20.
21. public static ArrayList < Contact > getContacts(File source)
22. throws IOException {
23. [b]ArrayList < Contact > contacts = new ArrayList < Contact > ();[/b]
24.
25. FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(source);
26. BufferedInputStream bis = new BufferedInputStream(fis);
27. DataInputStream in = new DataInputStream(bis);
28. while(in.available() > 0) {
29. String name = in.readUTF();
30. int age = in.readInt();
31. long cellPhone = in.readLong();
32. Contact current = new Contact(name, age, cellPhone);
33. contacts.add(current);
34. }
35.
36. return contacts;
37. }

The bold line, I can understand that.

What does this mean?

< Contact >

[Rob Spoor]

Look up what Generics mean in Java.

[Dhruva Mistry]

ArrayList is Collection
and Contact will be type of objects that will get stored in that ArraList

[Wouter Oet]

Please QuoteYourSources and don't post line numbers. Those will be added automatically.

[Adam Richards]

It you "bolded" a line, the forum software removed that style.

Your question is vague. Please be more specific. Is there a particular syntax or statement you don't understand?

[Jesper de Jong]

The bold-tags are still visible in line 23 of his code, but indeed, using those tags in code does not work.

I guess abalfazl hossein was confused about the generics, but I don't know for sure because he hasn't yet replied here.