先看代码

Collections.sort(list, new Comparator<Long>() {
                @Override
                public int compare(Long time1, Long time2) {
                    return (int) (time1 - time2);
                }
            });

这么短几行,看上去好像没什么问题?
组内Code Review也未发现问题,但是上线一段时间后收到很多异常!

Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Comparison method violates its general contract!
    at java.util.TimSort.mergeHi(TimSort.java:899)
    at java.util.TimSort.mergeAt(TimSort.java:516)
    at java.util.TimSort.mergeCollapse(TimSort.java:441)
    at java.util.TimSort.sort(TimSort.java:245)
    at java.util.Arrays.sort(Arrays.java:1498)
    at java.util.ArrayList.sort(ArrayList.java:1470)
    at java.util.Collections.sort(Collections.java:201)

翻译过来
比较方法违反了其总合同!!!

合同在哪?
Comparator中compare有如下描述。

**
     * Compares its two arguments for order.  Returns a negative integer,
     * zero, or a positive integer as the first argument is less than, equal
     * to, or greater than the second.<p>
     *
     * In the foregoing description, the notation
     * <tt>sgn(</tt><i>expression</i><tt>)</tt> designates the mathematical
     * <i>signum</i> function, which is defined to return one of <tt>-1</tt>,
     * <tt>0</tt>, or <tt>1</tt> according to whether the value of
     * <i>expression</i> is negative, zero or positive.<p>
     *
     * The implementor must ensure that <tt>sgn(compare(x, y)) ==
     * -sgn(compare(y, x))</tt> for all <tt>x</tt> and <tt>y</tt>.  (This
     * implies that <tt>compare(x, y)</tt> must throw an exception if and only
     * if <tt>compare(y, x)</tt> throws an exception.)<p>
     *
     * The implementor must also ensure that the relation is transitive:
     * <tt>((compare(x, y)&gt;0) &amp;&amp; (compare(y, z)&gt;0))</tt> implies
     * <tt>compare(x, z)&gt;0</tt>.<p>
     *
     * Finally, the implementor must ensure that <tt>compare(x, y)==0</tt>
     * implies that <tt>sgn(compare(x, z))==sgn(compare(y, z))</tt> for all
     * <tt>z</tt>.<p>
     *
     * It is generally the case, but <i>not</i> strictly required that
     * <tt>(compare(x, y)==0) == (x.equals(y))</tt>.  Generally speaking,
     * any comparator that violates this condition should clearly indicate
     * this fact.  The recommended language is "Note: this comparator
     * imposes orderings that are inconsistent with equals."

大致意思就是,你必须保证自反性,传递性,有序性。

  1. 自反性:x,y 的比较结果和 y,x 的比较结果相反。
  2. 传递性:x>y,y>z,则 x>z。
  3. 对称性:x=y,则 x,z 比较结果和 y,z 比较结果相同。

那么我到底违反了那条合同了?
唯一能怀疑的也只有 long cast to int 了!

先看下两种类型取值范围

类型 最大值 最小值
int 2^31 - 1 = 2147483647 -2^31 = -2147483648
long 2^63 - 1 = 9223372036854775807 -2^63 = -9223372036854775808

开始找茬游戏...
于是乎!

long x = 2147483648l, long y = 0
(int) (x - y) = (int) 2147483648l = -2147483648
(int) (y - x) = (int) -2147483648l = -2147483648

神奇的x < y && y < x 成立了!
合同第一条自反性违反!

再来

long x = 2147483648l, long y = 1l, long z = -1l
(int) (x - y) = (int) (2147483647l) = 2147483647
(int) (y - z) = (int) (2l) = 2l
(int) (x - z) = (int) (2147483649l) = -2147483647

神奇的x > y && y > z && x < z 也成立了!

合同第二条传递性违反!

轻轻松松就写了个弥天大bug!

找到问题就好解决了,不用cast就是了。

Long.compare(time1, time2);

Long.compare实现也很简单, 直接比较大小,返回对应int值即可。

public static int compare(long x, long y) {
        return (x < y) ? -1 : ((x == y) ? 0 : 1);
    }

总结

类型强转,精度丢失会惹祸!!!
类型强转需谨慎,谨慎,再谨慎!!!