Primitive data types

Primitive data types in Java are fundamental elements that represent simple values and are used to store basic data. Unlike wrapper classes, which encapsulate primitive values in objects, primitive data types are resource-efficient and commonly used to store simple data. In this section, we will explore the most common primitive data types in Java and how they are used.

Common Primitive Data Types

Java offers a variety of primitive data types, each designed to represent a specific type of data. Here are some of the most common primitive data types in Java:

1. int: Represents integers, positive or negative, without decimal parts. Example: int age = 25;

2. double: Represents floating-point numbers with decimals. Example: double price = 19.99;

3. boolean: Represents logical values, true or false, used in conditional expressions. Example: boolean isActive = true;

4. char: Represents a 16-bit Unicode character. Example: char letter = 'A';

5. byte: Represents small integers, often used when saving memory space. Example: byte value = 120;

6. short: Represents short integers, used in situations that require smaller integer values than int. Example: short distance = 1000;

7. long: Represents long integers, suitable for extremely large integer values. Example: long worldPopulation = 7,900,000,000L;

8. float: Represents floating-point numbers, similar to double but with lower precision. Example: float height = 1.75f;

Declaration and Use of Primitive Data Types

To declare and use primitive data types in Java, you simply need to specify the data type followed by the variable name and, optionally, initialize it with a value. Here is an example of how to declare and initialize variables with primitive data types:

int integerNumber = 42;
double decimalNumber = 3.14;
boolean isTrue = true;
char character = 'X';

Primitive data types are used in mathematical operations, conditional expressions, assignments, and more.

For example:

int sum = integerNumber + 10;
boolean isGreater = decimalNumber > 2.0;
char nextCharacter = (char)(character + 1);

Size and Value Range

Each primitive data type has a memory size and an associated value range. For example, the int type occupies 4 bytes of memory and can represent values ranging from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. It's important to understand the size and value range of each data type to ensure they are used appropriately in your programs.

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