How to Select a Random Value from an Enum in Java?

How can I randomly select a value from an enum in Java?

public enum Letter {
    A,
    B,
    C
}

private Letter randomLetter() {
    return Letter.values()[new Random().nextInt(Letter.values().length)];
}

Selecting a random value from an enum in Java is a common task that ensures a fair distribution of values. The method below demonstrates how to accomplish this efficiently using Java's built-in methods.

import java.util.Random;

public enum Letter {
    A, B, C;
}

public class EnumRandomPicker {

    private static final Random random = new Random();

    public static Letter randomLetter() {
        return Letter.values()[random.nextInt(Letter.values().length)];
    }
}

Solutions

• Use `Random` to generate an index based on the length of the enum values.
• Access the enum values using `Letter.values()`.
• Return the randomly selected enum value.

Mistake: Recreating the Random object multiple times leads to poor randomness.

Solution: Instantiate Random once and reuse it throughout the class.

Mistake: Using a hard-coded index or array length can cause issues with missing enum values.

Solution: Always use `Letter.values().length` to ensure robustness.