Pattern variable can be used

Reports local variable declarations that can be replaced with pattern variables, which are usually more compact.

Example:

  if (obj instanceof String) {
    String str = (String) obj;
    System.out.println(str);
  }

Can be replaced with:

  if (obj instanceof String str) {
    System.out.println(str);
  }

Locating this inspection

By ID

Can be used to locate inspection in e.g. Qodana configuration files, where you can quickly enable or disable it, or adjust its settings.

PatternVariableCanBeUsed

Via Settings dialog

Path to the inspection settings via IntelliJ Platform IDE Settings dialog, when you need to adjust inspection settings directly from your IDE.

This inspection depends on the Java feature 'Patterns in 'instanceof'', which is available since Java 16.

New in 2020.1

Inspection options

Here you can find the description of settings available for the Pattern variable can be used inspection, and the reference of their default values.

Report cast expressions which can be replaced with new introduced pattern variables: Default value:
Not selected

Suppressing Inspection

You can suppress this inspection by placing the following comment marker before the code fragment where you no longer want messages from this inspection to appear:

//noinspection PatternVariableCanBeUsed

More detailed instructions as well as other ways and options that you have can be found in the product documentation:

IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2

Inspection Details
By default bundled with:	IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2, Qodana for JVM 2025.2,

Last modified: 18 September 2025