Consider a builder when faced with many constructor parameters

The static factories and constructors are ways of instantiating objects but both of them share a limitation. They scale poorly with the increase of (optional) params.

The traditional ways of dealing with this: telescoping constructor

Telescoping constructor pattern – does not scale well!

The telescoping constructor pattern scales poorly. It is hard to write with many parameters and even harder to read.

public class NutritionFacts {
    private final int servingSize;  // (mL)            required
    private final int servings;     // (per container) required
    private final int calories;     //                 optional
    private final int fat;          // (g)             optional
    private final int sodium;       // (mg)            optional
    private final int carbohydrate; // (g)             optional

    public NutritionFacts(int servingSize, int servings) {
        this(servingSize, servings, 0);
    }

    public NutritionFacts(int servingSize, int servings,
            int calories) {
        this(servingSize, servings, calories, 0);
    }

    public NutritionFacts(int serving size, int servings,
            int calories, int fat) {
        this(servingSize, servings, calories, fat, 0);
    }

    public NutritionFacts(int servingSize, int servings,
            int calories, int fat, int sodium) {
        this(servingSize, servings, calories, fat, sodium, 0);
    }

    public NutritionFacts(int servingSize, int servings,
           int calories, int fat, int sodium, int carbohydrate) {
        this.servingSize  = servingSize;
        this.servings     = servings;
        this.calories     = calories;
        this.fat          = fat;
        this.sodium       = sodium;
        this.carbohydrate = carbohydrate;
    }
}

JavaBeans Pattern – allows inconsistency, mandates mutability

public class NutritionFacts {
    // Parameters initialized to default values (if any)
    private int servingSize  = -1; // Required; no default value
    private int servings     = -1;  //     "     "      "      "
    private int calories     = 0;
    private int fat          = 0;
    private int sodium       = 0;
    private int carbohydrate = 0;

    public NutritionFacts() { }
    // Setters
    public void setServingSize(int val)  { servingSize = val; }
    public void setServings(int val)     { servings = val; }
    public void setCalories(int val)     { calories = val; }
    public void setFat(int val)          { fat = val; }
    public void setSodium(int val)       { sodium = val; }
    public void setCarbohydrate(int val) { carbohydrate = val; }
}

A better approach: Builder pattern

// Builder Pattern
public class NutritionFacts {
    private final int servingSize;
    private final int servings;
    private final int calories;
    private final int fat;
    private final int sodium;
    private final int carbohydrate;

    public static class Builder {
        // Required parameters
        private final int servingSize;
        private final int servings;

        // Optional parameters - initialized to default values
        private int calories      = 0;
        private int fat           = 0;
        private int carbohydrate  = 0;
        private int sodium        = 0;

        public Builder(int servingSize, int servings) {
            this.servingSize = servingSize;
            this.servings    = servings;
        }

        public Builder calories(int val)
            { calories = val;      return this; }
        public Builder fat(int val)
            { fat = val;           return this; }
        public Builder carbohydrate(int val)
            { carbohydrate = val;  return this; }
        public Builder sodium(int val)
            { sodium = val;        return this; }

        public NutritionFacts build() {
            return new NutritionFacts(this);
        }
    }

    private NutritionFacts(Builder builder) {
        servingSize  = builder.servingSize;
        servings     = builder.servings;
        calories     = builder.calories;
        fat          = builder.fat;
        sodium       = builder.sodium;
        carbohydrate = builder.carbohydrate;
    }
}

Facts about builder pattern

• Typically a static member class
• The client code is easy to write and, more importantly, easy to read
• Easy to incorporate validity checks
• Check on object fields after copying params from the builder
• The failing check will throw an IllegalArgumentException with exception details
• Well suited to class hierarchies
• Generic builder with recursive type parameters can construct any subclass
• Abstract self() simulates self-type which, combined with covariant return typing, obviates the need for casting
• Flexible

Disadvantages builder pattern

• Cost of creating a builder
• More verbose than a telescoping constructor

Conclusion

Always start with a builder in the first place especially if we have more than a handful of params. A builder is much safer than JavaBeans. In the case of a builder pattern, the client code is much easier to read and write than telescoping constructors.