Date: 07/19/05 (Java Web)    Keywords: java

You can use assertions to detect errors that may otherwise go unnoticed. Assertions contain Boolean expressions that define the correct state of your program at specific points in the program source code. The designers of the Java platform, however, didn't include support for assertions. Perhaps they viewed exceptions as a superior feature, allowing you to [...]

Source: http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/using-assertions-in-java-technology/