Java Data Types: Understanding Variable Specifications in Java

Explore the fundamental data types in Java that every variable must be defined with. This guide includes examples such as int for integers, float for floating-point numbers, char for characters, boolean for true/false values, and String for text. Enhance your understanding of Java's type system to write effective code.

Java Data Types

As explained in the previous chapter, every variable in Java must be specified with a data type:

Example:

int myNum = 5;               // Integer (whole number)
float myFloatNum = 5.99f;    // Floating point number
char myLetter = 'D';         // Character
boolean myBool = true;       // Boolean
String myText = "Hello";     // String
  

Data types in Java are divided into two groups:

• Primitive data types - includes byte, short, int, long, float, double, boolean, and char
• Non-primitive data types - such as String, Arrays, and Classes (covered in later chapters)

Primitive Data Types

A primitive data type specifies the size and type of variable values, and it has no additional methods. There are eight primitive data types in Java: