OSS Tanbou
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fill gaps in Java core APIs with reusable utilities for strings, arrays, numbers, objects, and reflection

OSS scale score 276.0OSS health 95Update pace 281 commits/30d
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Stars
3,013
Primary language
Java
License
Apache-2.0
Repository last updated
Oct 3, 2026
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Overview

Apache Commons Lang is a general-purpose Java utility library that complements core APIs around java.lang. Classes such as StringUtils, ArrayUtils, and ObjectUtils, along with number, reflection, and builder utilities, provide reusable helpers through a small dependency.

Features and best fit

Based on official documentation; not hands-on tested · Content checked:

Key features

Consolidate string handling in null-aware utilities

StringUtils covers blank checks, trim and strip operations, comparison, search, substring extraction, split and join operations, and defines null handling for many methods. It replaces repeated defensive string helper code with a shared API.

Sources: [3]

Reduce boilerplate for arrays, objects, types, and reflection

ArrayUtils supports primitive and wrapper arrays, while the wider library includes helpers for objects, numbers, classes, reflection, builders, and other recurring Java application tasks.

Sources: [1][2]

Add it to existing Java projects as one Maven Central artifact

The 3.x line is published as org.apache.commons:commons-lang3, and version 3.21.0 can be used as a normal Maven or Gradle dependency. The library is designed as a broadly reusable utility component rather than an application framework.

Sources: [1][5]

Best fit

Fits Java codebases accumulating duplicated helper methods

It is useful when modules repeatedly implement small helpers for strings, arrays, comparisons, conversions, reflection, and related operations that can instead use a stable shared API.

Sources: [1][2]

Before adoption

Version 3.21.0 targets Java 8 or newer

Commons Lang 3.x targets Java 8, and the current README states that supported LTS revisions of JDK 8, 11, 17, 21, and 25 are tested. Verify the application's JDK and build configuration before upgrading.

Sources: [1][5]

The 3.x line changes artifact and package boundaries from 2.x

Commons Lang 3 uses the commons-lang3 artifact and org.apache.commons.lang3 package. Migration from the older 2.x line should follow the official 3.0 upgrade guidance rather than being treated as a version-only replacement.

Sources: [1]

Choose random-generation APIs according to security requirements

RandomStringUtils and RandomUtils expose APIs backed by secure and non-secure random sources. Secret or token generation should use an appropriate secure source, while stricter random-generation requirements may be better served by a dedicated component such as Commons RNG.

Sources: [4]

Official sources

  1. [1]Apache Commons Lang README(2026-10-03)
  2. [2]Apache Commons Lang API(2026-10-03)
  3. [3]StringUtils API(2026-10-03)
  4. [4]RandomStringUtils API(2026-10-03)
  5. [5]Apache Commons Lang project information(2026-10-03)
  6. [6]Apache Commons Lang Apache-2.0 license(2026-10-03)
Supplemental curator note

Commons Lang can reduce duplicated helper code when projects repeatedly implement the same string, array, and object operations. Define where the library adds value instead of adding a dependency for operations already handled clearly by the Java standard library.

Try it in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Fetch Commons Lang 3.21.0

    Use Maven to download Commons Lang 3.21.0 and its artifact into the local repository.

    mvn dependency:get -Dartifact=org.apache.commons:commons-lang3:3.21.0
  2. 2

    Create a minimal StringUtils example

    Import StringUtils and create one small Java class that exercises a string helper.

    cat > Demo.java <<'EOF' import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils; public class Demo { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println(StringUtils.abbreviate("OSS Tanbou", 8)); } } EOF
  3. 3

    Compile and run the example

    This command targets a Unix-like shell. Use a JDK 8 or newer.

    javac -cp "$HOME/.m2/repository/org/apache/commons/commons-lang3/3.21.0/commons-lang3-3.21.0.jar" Demo.java && java -cp ".:$HOME/.m2/repository/org/apache/commons/commons-lang3/3.21.0/commons-lang3-3.21.0.jar" Demo
Check the official README

Growth

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3,013 Stars

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Development activity

Last 90 days · weekly

Commits (last 30 days)
281
Open PRs
63

Development activity is still being collected.

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GitHub Topics

  • commons
Stars
3,013
Forks
2,033
Watchers
164
Open issues
0
Contributors
266
Owner type
Organization
Primary language
Java
License
Apache-2.0
Repository last updated
Oct 3, 2026
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