> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.pranaypourkar.co.in/the-programmers-guide/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.pranaypourkar.co.in/the-programmers-guide/java/java-basics/parallelism-and-concurrency/thread-fundamentals/creating-threads/runnable-and-callable.md). # Runnable & Callable ## About `Runnable` and `Callable` are two interfaces in Java used for executing tasks in separate threads. Both are commonly used in multithreading and concurrency but have differences in functionality. ## **Runnable Interface** ### Definition * `Runnable` is an interface that represents a **task** to be executed by a thread. * It has **one method**: ```java void run(); ``` * It does **not** return a result and **cannot throw checked exceptions**. {% hint style="info" %} Since Java 8, `Runnable` can be used with **lambdas**: ```java Runnable runnable = () -> System.out.println("Runnable task executed."); ``` {% endhint %} ### **Usage** A `Runnable` task can be executed by: 1. **Creating a `Thread` object** 2. **Using `ExecutorService`** ## **Example 1: Implementing Runnable using a Class** ```java public class MyRunnable implements Runnable { @Override public void run() { System.out.println("Executing task in thread: " + Thread.currentThread().getName()); } } public class RunnableExample { public static void main(String[] args) { Thread thread = new Thread(new MyRunnable()); // Assign task to thread thread.start(); // Starts a new thread } } ``` Here, the `run()` method is executed in a **separate thread**. ### **Example 2: Using Runnable with ExecutorService** ```java import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService; import java.util.concurrent.Executors; public class RunnableWithExecutor { public static void main(String[] args) { ExecutorService executor = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(2); executor.submit(new MyRunnable()); executor.shutdown(); } } ``` `ExecutorService` is a **thread pool manager** that efficiently manages threads. ## **Callable Interface** ### **Definition** * `Callable` is a **functional interface** introduced in Java 5. * Unlike `Runnable`, it **returns a result** and **can throw checked exceptions**. * It has one method: ```java T call() throws Exception; ``` * The return type `T` allows it to be used for **asynchronous computation**. {% hint style="info" %} Since Java 8, `Callable` can be used with **lambdas**: ```java Callable callable = () -> "Callable task executed."; ``` {% endhint %} ### **Usage** A `Callable` task is executed using an **ExecutorService** and returns a `Future` object. ### **Example 1: Implementing Callable with ExecutorService** ```java import java.util.concurrent.Callable; class MyCallable implements Callable { @Override public String call() throws Exception { Thread.sleep(2000); // Simulate delay return "Task completed by " + Thread.currentThread().getName(); } } ``` ```java import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService; import java.util.concurrent.Executors; import java.util.concurrent.Future; public class CallableExample { public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception { ExecutorService executor = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor(); Future future = executor.submit(new MyCallable()); // Submit task System.out.println("Waiting for result..."); String result = future.get(); // Blocks until the result is available System.out.println("Result: " + result); executor.shutdown(); } } ``` ## **Combining Runnable and Callable** If we want a **Runnable** but need a result, use `Executors.callable().` This is useful when converting a `Runnable` to `Callable`. ```java import java.util.concurrent.Callable; import java.util.concurrent.Executors; public class RunnableToCallable { public static void main(String[] args) { Callable

Feature	Runnable	Callable
Introduced in	Java 1.0	Java 5
Method	`void run()`	`T call() throws Exception`
Return Value	No (void)	Yes (Generic T)
Exception Handling	Cannot throw checked exceptions	Can throw checked exceptions
Used With	`Thread`, `ExecutorService`	`ExecutorService`, `Future`
Best For	Executing tasks without result	Executing tasks that return a value


Use Case	Use	Why?
You need to execute a task without returning a result	Runnable	`Runnable.run()` has a `void` return type, making it ideal for simple background tasks.
You need to execute a task and return a result	Callable	`Callable.call()` returns a value, allowing you to capture the task's output.
You need to execute a task but may need to check its completion later	Callable + Future	`Future<T>` allows retrieving the result later without blocking the main thread.
You need to execute a task and get notified when it's completed	FutureTask	`FutureTask` allows combining `Runnable` and `Callable`, and it can be used as a `Future`.
You need to execute multiple independent tasks and wait for all to complete	ExecutorService + invokeAll()	`invokeAll()` submits multiple `Callable`tasks and waits for all results.
You need to execute multiple independent tasks and get the first completed result	ExecutorService + invokeAny()	`invokeAny()` submits multiple `Callable`tasks and returns the first successful result.
You need fine-grained control over thread execution (e.g., priority, interruption)	Thread + Runnable	`Thread` can directly manage execution but is less flexible than thread pools.
You need to handle checked exceptions in a background task	Callable	`Callable.call()` supports throwing checked exceptions.
You need to execute a task repeatedly at a fixed rate	ScheduledExecutorService	`scheduleAtFixedRate()` and `scheduleWithFixedDelay()` allow scheduled execution.
You need to execute CPU-intensive parallel tasks	ForkJoinPool	`ForkJoinPool` supports work-stealing, ideal for recursive and parallel tasks.
You need to execute stream operations in parallel	Parallel Streams	`stream().parallel()` splits work across multiple cores automatically.
You need to process a collection of tasks asynchronously	CompletableFuture	`CompletableFuture` allows non-blocking execution and chaining tasks together.
You need to execute a task with a timeout	ExecutorService + Future.get(timeout)	`Future.get(timeout, TimeUnit.SECONDS)`prevents indefinite waiting.
You need to execute a task in the background and monitor progress	CompletableFuture + thenApply/thenAccept	`CompletableFuture` allows progress tracking and callbacks.
You need non-blocking, event-driven async execution	CompletableFuture + SupplyAsync()	Asynchronous execution without blocking threads.