[stickfigure]

The syntax still looks tedious compared to Ceylon:

    if (is String name) {
        // compiler knows 'name' is String in this block
        print(name);
    }
    else {
        print("some other text");
    }

Why declare a new variable? The Ceylon syntax works great with union types too.

[jdmichal]

I had the same comment on C#'s implementation:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12971841#12972691

In C#, the "wanting the supertype" answer makes some sense with explicit interface implementations [0]. Java doesn't have that, and AFAIK there's no way to declare something that's visible on a supertype but not a subtype.

[0] I think it's a bad reason. But the possibility does at least exist.