Data Types in Java

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Data Types in Java

Data types specify the different sizes and values that can be stored in the variable. There are two types of data types in Java: primitive and non-primitive.

Primitive data types: The primitive data types include boolean, char, byte, short, int, long, float, and double.

Non-primitive data types: The non-primitive data types include Classes, Interfaces, and Arrays.

Java Primitive Data Type - In Java language, primitive data types are the building blocks of data manipulation. These are the most basic data types available in Java language.

There are 8 types of primitive data types:

Boolean data type

byte data type

char data type

short data type

int data type

long data type

float data type

double data type

Data Type Default size

boolean 1 bit

char 2 byte

byte 1 byte

short 2 byte

int 4 byte

long 8 byte

float 4 byte

double 8 byte

Boolean Data Type

The Boolean data type is used to store only two possible values: true and false. This data type is used for simple flags that track true/false conditions.

The Boolean data type specifies one bit of information, but its "size" can't be defined precisely.

Example:

Boolean one = false

Byte Data Type

The byte data type is an example of a primitive data type. It is an 8-bit signed two's complement integer. Its value range lies between -128 to 127 (inclusive). Its minimum value is -128 and the maximum value is 127. Its default value is 0.

The byte data type is used to save memory in large arrays where memory savings is most required. It saves space because a byte is 4 times smaller than an integer. It can also be used in place of the "int" data type.

Example:

byte a = 10, byte b = -20

Short Data Type

The short data type is a 16-bit signed two's complement integer. Its value range lies between -32,768 to 32,767 (inclusive). Its minimum value is -32,768 and its maximum value is 32,767. Its default value is 0.

The short data type can also be used to save memory just like the byte data type. A short data type is 2 times smaller than an integer.

Example:

short s = 10000, short r = -5000

Int Data Type

The int data type is a 32-bit signed two's complement integer. Its value range lies between - 2,147,483,648 (-2^31) to 2,147,483,647 (2^31 -1) (inclusive). Its minimum value is - 2,147,483,648and maximum value is 2,147,483,647. Its default value is 0.

The int data type is generally used as a default data type for integral values unless there is no problem with memory.

Example:

int a = 100000, int b = -200000

Long Data Type

The long data type is a 64-bit two's complement integer. Its value-range lies between -9,223,372,036,854,775,808(-2^63) to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807(2^63 -1)(inclusive). Its minimum value is - 9,223,372,036,854,775,808and maximum value is 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. Its default value is 0. The long data type is used when you need a range of values more than those provided by int.

Example:

long a = 100000L, long b = -200000L

Float Data Type

The float data type is a single-precision 32-bit IEEE 754 floating point. Its value range is unlimited. It is recommended to use a float (instead of a double) if you need to save memory in large arrays of floating point numbers. The float data type should never be used for precise values, such as currency. Its default value is 0.0F.

Example:

float f1 = 234.5f

Double Data Type

The double data type is a double-precision 64-bit IEEE 754 floating point. Its value range is unlimited. The double data type is generally used for decimal values just like float. The double data type also should never be used for precise values, such as currency. Its default value is 0.0d.

Example:

double d1 = 12.3

Char Data Type

The char data type is a single 16-bit Unicode character. Its value range lies between '\u0000' (or 0) to '\uffff' (or 65,535 inclusive). The char data type is used to store characters.

Example:

char letterA = 'A'