What are alternatives to Collections utility class and how do they compare?

In Java, the Collections utility class provides various static methods for operating on collections, such as sorting and searching. However, there are several alternatives that also offer functionality for working with collections:

• Stream API: Introduced in Java 8, the Stream API allows for functional-style operations on streams of elements. It can be used to filter, map, and reduce collections more succinctly than traditional methods.
• Guava: Developed by Google, the Guava library provides additional utilities for collections, including multi-sets, multi-maps, and immutable collections, which enhance the standard Java collections framework.
• Apache Commons Collections: This is another popular library that adds new collection types and methods, extending the functionality beyond the Java standard library.
• Lombok: This library offers annotations that can help simplify the creation and management of collections within data classes using features like builders and non-nullable collections.

Each of these alternatives offers unique advantages. The Stream API is great for its expressive syntax and ease of use for functional programming. Guava and Apache Commons Collections provide additional features that might be useful for specific applications, while Lombok focuses on boilerplate reduction.