Summary

Enhance the Java language with a new types of imports - an import that can import all exported packages from a module. The main goal is to aid beginner programers.

Problem

In order to write a simple program, beginner programmers must often import classes from multiple packages - like java.io and java.util. This is distracting them from their goal at hand, and creates obstacles in learning Java.

Solution

We propose that a new type of imports is added to the Java language. This new import would import all the packages exported from a given module.

For example:

import module M;

Should import all packages exported to the current module from M and its transitive dependencies as if they were imported using the type-on-demand imports for the respective packages.

Some relevant adjustments to the Trees API and JShell API are needed as well.

Specification

The current draft JLS changes is attached as a pdf.

The specdiff for the API changes is attached as specdiff.00.zip, and also available for convenience here: https://cr.openjdk.org/~jlahoda/8328481/specdiff.00/overview-summary.html

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