What Is Data Type in Java With Example?

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Scott Campbell

In Java, a data type is a classification of the type of data that a variable or expression can hold. It determines the values that can be assigned to the variable, the operations that can be performed on it, and the memory space required to store it. Java has two categories of data types: primitive data types and reference data types.

Primitive Data Types

Primitive data types are predefined by the Java programming language. They are simple and fundamental types that represent basic values. Java has eight primitive data types:

  • byte: This is a 1-byte signed integer with a range from -128 to 127.
  • short: This is a 2-byte signed integer with a range from -32,768 to 32,767.
  • int: This is a 4-byte signed integer with a range from -231 to 231-1.
  • long: This is an 8-byte signed integer with a range from -263 to 263-1.
  • float: This is a single-precision floating-point number with a range from approximately ±3.40282347E+38F (6-7 significant decimal digits).
  • double: This is a double-precision floating-point number with a range from approximately ±1.79769313486231570E+308 (15 significant decimal digits).
  • char: This represents a single character and occupies two bytes of memory.
  • boolean: This represents a boolean value, which can be either true or false.

For example, let’s declare a variable of type int:

int myNumber = 42;

Reference Data Types

Reference data types are not predefined by the Java programming language. They are created by the programmer using classes or interfaces. Reference data types store references to objects in memory rather than the actual data itself.

For example, let’s declare a variable of type String:

String myName = "John Doe";

Summary

In Java, data types determine the values that can be assigned to variables and the operations that can be performed on them. Primitive data types are predefined and represent basic values, while reference data types are created by the programmer using classes or interfaces.

By understanding and using different data types effectively, you can write more efficient and organized Java code.

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