how to say parameter can be null java code example

Example 1: java how to make a parameter optional

void foo(String a, Object... b) {
    Integer b1 = 0;
    String b2 = "";
    if (b.length > 0) {
      if (!(b[0] instanceof Integer)) { 
          throw new IllegalArgumentException("...");
      }
      b1 = (Integer)b[0];
    }
    if (b.length > 1) {
        if (!(b[1] instanceof String)) { 
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("...");
        }
        b2 = (String)b[1];
        //...
    }
    //...
}

foo("a");
foo("a", 1);
foo("a", 1, "b2");

Example 2: java how to make a parameter optional

class Foo {
     private final String a; 
     private final Integer b;

     Foo(String a, Integer b) {
       this.a = a;
       this.b = b;
     }

     //...
 }

 class FooBuilder {
   private String a = ""; 
   private Integer b = 0;

   FooBuilder setA(String a) {
     this.a = a;
     return this;
   }

   FooBuilder setB(Integer b) {
     this.b = b;
     return this;
   }

   Foo build() {
     return new Foo(a, b);
   }
 }

 Foo foo = new FooBuilder().setA("a").build();