How to take the first N elements

Short answer

limit() keeps the first N elements of the stream:

void main() {
    var scores = List.of(95, 88, 76, 64, 51);
    IO.println(scores.stream().limit(3).toList());
}

Output:

[95, 88, 76]

Together with sorted() you get "the top three":

void main() {
    var scores = List.of(64, 95, 51, 88, 76);
    IO.println(scores.stream().sorted(Comparator.reverseOrder()).limit(3).toList());
}

Output:

[95, 88, 76]

skip() drops the first N elements:

void main() {
    var lines = List.of("header", "row 1", "row 2");
    IO.println(lines.stream().skip(1).toList());
}

Output:

[row 1, row 2]

takeWhile() takes elements while the condition is true and stops at the first one that fails:

void main() {
    var temperatures = List.of(12, 15, 18, 9, 20);
    IO.println(temperatures.stream().takeWhile(t -> t > 10).toList());
}

Output:

[12, 15, 18]

Taking subList(0, n) of a list shorter than n. Unlike limit(), subList() does not forgive going out of bounds:

void main() {
    var scores = List.of(95, 88);
    IO.println(scores.stream().limit(3).toList());
    IO.println(scores.subList(0, 3));
}

Output:

[95, 88]
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.IndexOutOfBoundsException: toIndex = 3