SignStyle (Java Platform SE 8 )
Keywords: java.time.format.SignStyle class
Date: 2026-03-29

compact1, compact2, compact3
java.time.format

## Enum SignStyle

- java.lang.Object
- - java.lang.Enum<SignStyle>
  - - java.time.format.SignStyle

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    Serializable, Comparable<SignStyle>

      public enum SignStyle
      extends Enum<SignStyle>

  Enumeration of ways to handle the positive/negative sign.

  The formatting engine allows the positive and negative signs of numbers to be controlled using this enum. See `DateTimeFormatterBuilder` for usage.

  Implementation Requirements:
    This is an immutable and thread-safe enum.
  Since:
    1.8

- - ### Enum Constant Summary

    Enum Constants
    Enum Constant and Description
    `ALWAYS` Style to always output the sign, where zero will output '+'.
    `EXCEEDS_PAD` Style to always output the sign if the value exceeds the pad width.
    `NEVER` Style to never output sign, only outputting the absolute value.
    `NORMAL` Style to output the sign only if the value is negative.
    `NOT_NEGATIVE` Style to block negative values, throwing an exception on printing.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Static Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `static SignStyle` | `valueOf(String name)` Returns the enum constant of this type with the specified name.
    `static SignStyle[]` | `values()` Returns an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Enum

      `clone, compareTo, equals, finalize, getDeclaringClass, hashCode, name, ordinal, toString, valueOf`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Enum Constant Detail

    - #### NORMAL

          public static final SignStyle NORMAL

      Style to output the sign only if the value is negative.

      In strict parsing, the negative sign will be accepted and the positive sign rejected. In lenient parsing, any sign will be accepted.

    - #### ALWAYS

          public static final SignStyle ALWAYS

      Style to always output the sign, where zero will output '+'.

      In strict parsing, the absence of a sign will be rejected. In lenient parsing, any sign will be accepted, with the absence of a sign treated as a positive number.

    - #### NEVER

          public static final SignStyle NEVER

      Style to never output sign, only outputting the absolute value.

      In strict parsing, any sign will be rejected. In lenient parsing, any sign will be accepted unless the width is fixed.

    - #### NOT_NEGATIVE

          public static final SignStyle NOT_NEGATIVE

      Style to block negative values, throwing an exception on printing.

      In strict parsing, any sign will be rejected. In lenient parsing, any sign will be accepted unless the width is fixed.

    - #### EXCEEDS_PAD

          public static final SignStyle EXCEEDS_PAD

      Style to always output the sign if the value exceeds the pad width. A negative value will always output the '-' sign.

      In strict parsing, the sign will be rejected unless the pad width is exceeded. In lenient parsing, any sign will be accepted, with the absence of a sign treated as a positive number.

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### values

          public static SignStyle[] values()

      Returns an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared. This method may be used to iterate over the constants as follows:

          for (SignStyle c : SignStyle.values())
              System.out.println(c);

      Returns:
        an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared

    - #### valueOf

          public static SignStyle valueOf(String name)

      Returns the enum constant of this type with the specified name. The string must match exactly an identifier used to declare an enum constant in this type. (Extraneous whitespace characters are not permitted.)
      Parameters:
        `name` - the name of the enum constant to be returned.
      Returns:
        the enum constant with the specified name
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if this enum type has no constant with the specified name
        `NullPointerException` - if the argument is null

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