What is the difference between `Stream.map()` and `Stream.flatMap()` in Java?

Question

Java Associate — Hard

What is the difference between `Stream.map()` and `Stream.flatMap()` in Java?

Accepted Answer

Stream.map() transforms each element to a new value, while Stream.flatMap() does the same but also flattens nested streams into a single stream. This distinction is crucial for handling complex data structures efficiently.