How to Join a List<String> in Java with Commas and 'And' Using Apache Commons?

Is there a standard method in Apache Commons that joins a List<String> with commas and 'and', similar to my custom implementation?

String join(List<String> messages) {
    if (messages.isEmpty()) return "";
    if (messages.size() == 1) return messages.get(0);
    String message = "";
    message = StringUtils.join(messages.subList(0, messages.size() -2), ", ");
    message = message + (messages.size() > 2 ? ", " : "") + 
              StringUtils.join(messages.subList(messages.size() -2, messages.size()), ", and ");
    return message;
}

In Java, joining elements of a List<String> with specific delimiters like commas and 'and' is a common requirement in text processing. While Apache Commons Lang offers powerful string manipulation utilities, it lacks a built-in method for this specific format. However, custom solutions can achieve the desired output effectively.

import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;

public static String joinListWithAnd(List<String> list) {
    if (list.isEmpty()) return "";
    if (list.size() == 1) return list.get(0);
    String result = StringUtils.join(list.subList(0, list.size() - 1), ", ");
    result += " and " + list.get(list.size() - 1);
    return result;
}

Causes

• Lack of a built-in Apache Commons method for joining lists with custom delimiters.
• Misunderstanding of existing utilities and their capabilities.

Solutions

• Consider writing a utility method like the one you provided.
• Use existing libraries with custom modifications, like StringUtils, to achieve similar results.

Mistake: Using incorrect delimiters and not accounting for the last 'and' properly.

Solution: Ensure the last item is prefixed with 'and' and the rest are joined with commas.

Mistake: Assuming Apache Commons has a direct method for this functionality.

Solution: Implement a custom joining method as shown in the code snippet.