private static List<String> parsePackageList(String packages){
  if (packages == null) {
    return new ArrayList<>();
  }
 else {
    return Arrays.asList(packages.split(":"));
  }
}

private static List < String > parsePackageList ( String packages ) { if ( packages == null ) { return new ArrayList < > ( ) ; } else { return Arrays . asList ( packages . split ( ":" ) ) ; } }
parses a colon - delimited list of packages
