compiler warning: local variable is redundant

Question

I am receiving a compiler warning that says local variable 'newElement' is redundant . How can I write the following code more efficiently to rid my code of this warning?

Element newElement = new Element(left,elements.next);
elements.next = newElement;

Answer 1

Say you have a list a -> b -> c and now you want to add d to it. What you have written tries to make d point to d .

This block

    Element newElement = new Element(left,elements.next);
    elements.next = newElement;

is equivalent to

    elements.next = new Element(left,elements.next);

which really doesn't make a bunch of sense.

If you are trying to make something like a linked list,

Element newElement = new Element(left,null);
elements.next = newElement;

Answer 2

Sometimes having a redundant variable is desirable (perhaps for code clarity). In these cases the warning can be suppressed.

@SuppressWarnings("UnnecessaryLocalVariable")