import com.google.common.base.Optional; class A { void m() { Optional<String> <caret>o = Optional.absent(); String s = o.get(); Optional<String> yetAnotherOptional = Optional.fromNullable("bla-bla"); System.out.println(o.or(yetAnotherOptional)); if (o.isPresent()) { System.out.println(o.get()); } System.out.println(o.orNull()); Set<String> set = o.asSet(); } }