Data Types
- The term data type refers to the type of data that can be stored in a variable.
- Sometimes, Java is called a “strongly typed language” because when you declare a variable, you must specify the variable’s type.
- Then the compiler ensures that you don’t try to assign data of the wrong type to the variable.
- Primitive Data Types
- Reference/Object Data Types
- There are eight primitive data types supported by Java.
- Primitive data types are predefined by the language and named by a keyword.
- Byte data type is an 8-bit signed two's complement integer.
- Minimum value is -128 (-2^7)
- Maximum value is 127 (inclusive)(2^7 -1)
- Default value is 0
- Byte data type is used to save space in large arrays, mainly in place of integers, since a byte is four times smaller than an int.
- Example: byte a = 100 , byte b = -50
- Short data type is a 16-bit signed two's complement integer.
- Minimum value is -32,768 (-2^15)
- Maximum value is 32,767 (inclusive) (2^15 -1)
- Short data type can also be used to save memory as byte data type. A short is 2 times smaller than an int
- Default value is 0.
- Example: short s = 10000, short r = -20000
- Int data type is a 32-bit signed two's complement integer.
- Minimum value is - 2,147,483,648.(-2^31)
- Maximum value is 2,147,483,647(inclusive).(2^31 -1)
- Int is generally used as the default data type for integral values unless there is a concern about memory.
- The default value is 0.
- Example: int a = 100000, int b = -200000
- Long data type is a 64-bit signed two's complement integer.
- Minimum value is -9,223,372,036,854,775,808.(-2^63)
- Maximum value is 9,223,372,036,854,775,807 (inclusive). (2^63 -1)
- This type is used when a wider range than int is needed.
- Default value is 0L.
- Example: long a = 100000L, int b = -200000L
- Float data type is a single-precision 32-bit IEEE 754 floating point.
- Float is mainly used to save memory in large arrays of floating point numbers.
- Default value is 0.0f.
- Float data type is never used for precise values such as currency.
- Example: float f1 = 234.5f
- double data type is a double-precision 64-bit IEEE 754 floating point.
- This data type is generally used as the default data type for decimal values, generally the default choice.
- Double data type should never be used for precise values such as currency.
- Default value is 0.0d.
- Example: double d1 = 123.4
- boolean data type represents one bit of information.
- There are only two possible values: true and false.
- This data type is used for simple flags that track true/false conditions.
- Default value is false.
- Example: boolean one = true
- char data type is a single 16-bit Unicode character.
- Minimum value is '\u0000' (or 0).
- Maximum value is '\uffff' (or 65,535 inclusive).
- Char data type is used to store any character.
- Example: char letterA ='A'