From Python to Java
CISC124
1
A Python program starts running from the first line of
the script
this means that a program can be a single line long
print('Hello, world!')
2
A Java program starts running from a main method
a main method must belong to a class (or interface)
and it must have a specific form
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String... args) {
System.out.println("Hello, world!");
}
}
3
A Java program starts running from a main method
there are two legal forms of main
see previous slide for one of the two forms
the second form is shown below
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, world!");
}
}
4
A Java class name starts with an uppercase letter and
contains no spaces
use upper CamelCase for multiword class names (first
letter of every word of the name is capitalized)
avoid underscores except in unusual cases
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, world!");
}
}
5
Java statements end with a semi-colon
not precisely true, but the easiest way to convey the
idea at this point
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, world!");
}
}
6
Python string literals can be single quoted, double
quoted, or triple quoted
s = 'Hello, world!'
s = "Hej verden!"
s = '''Molo lizwe!'''
7
Java string literals can only be double quoted
String s = "Hello, world!";
s = "Hej verden!";
s = "Molo lizwe!";
8
Python's print function can print more than one value
print(2, 'plus', 3, 'equals', 5)
outputs
2 plus 3 equals 5
9
Java's println method accepts only one argument
can use string concatenation to compute the string to
be printed
System.out.println(2 + " plus " + 3 + " equals " + 5);
10
Python variables have no type associated with the
variable name
s = 'Hello, world!'
s = 123
s = [1, 2, 3]
11
Java variables have a type
the type is declared along with the variable name
the type cannot be changed
variable can hold values only of the declared type
String s = "Hello, world!";
int t = 123;
List<Integer> aList = new ArrayList<>();
aList.add(1);
aList.add(2);
aList.add(3);
12
Java variable names begin with a lowercase letter and
contain no spaces
use lower camelCase for multiword variable names
first letter of every word after the first is capitalized
String s = "Hello, world!";
int t = 123;
List<Integer> aList = new ArrayList<>();
aList.add(1);
aList.add(2);
aList.add(3);
13
A Python comment starts with a # and ends the line that
it is on
# initial investment
p = 100
# annual interest rate in percent
r = 1.25 / 100
final_value = p * (1 + r) ** 10 # after 10 years
14
An inline Java comment starts with // and ends the line
that it is on
// initial investment
double p = 100;
// annual interest rate in percent
double r = 1.25 / 100;
double finalValue =
p * Math.pow(1 + r, 10); // after 10 years
15
A multiline Java comment starts with /* and ends with
*/
/* initial investment and
annual interest rate in percent */
double p = 100;
double r = 1.25 / 100;
double finalValue = /* hey, I can put a comment here */
p * Math.pow(1 + r, 10); // after 10 years
16
There is no exponentiation operator in Java
use the method Math.pow instead
/* initial investment and
annual interest rate in percent */
double p = 100;
double r = 1.25 / 100;
double finalValue = /* hey, I can put a comment here */
p * Math.pow(1 + r, 10); // after 10 years
17
Some common Python types and literals
tf = True # a boolean or logical
x = 1 # an int
y = 1.0 # a float
s = 'Hello' # a string
t = [] # an empty list of anything
18
And their corresponding Java types and literals
there are no list literals in Java
boolean tf = true; // a boolean
int x = 1; // an int
double y = 1.0; // a double
String s = "Hello"; // a string
List<Integer> t = new ArrayList<>(); // a list
19
Primitive versus reference types
in Python, everything is a reference type
values are actually references to objects
Java has reference types
any type that begins with a capital letter is a reference type
e.g., String, List, ArrayList
classes are user-defined reference types
that is why their names should always begin with a capital letter
Java has primitive types
any type that begins with a lowercase letter is a primitive
type
unless you are a jerk and name your classes starting with a
lowercase letter
20
Primitive types
eight primitive types in Java
boolean true/false
byte
char
short integer values
int
long
float
floating-point values
double
21
Reference variables store references to objects
all variables in Python store references
x = 1 # a reference to an int object
y = 1.0 # a reference to a float object
s = 'Hello' # a reference to a str object
22
Primitive type variables actually store a primitive value
int x = 1; // x stores the value 1
double y = 1.0; // y stores the value 1.0
// s stores a reference to a String object
String s = "Hello";
23
Primitive types
all of the primitive types occupy a defined fixed
amount of memory
different primitive types occupy different amounts of
memory
what is the implication of this?
each primitive type represents a finite number of values
e.g., there must be some smallest int value and some greatest int
value
24
int is the usual choice for routine calculations involving
integer values
int lo = Integer.MIN_VALUE; // -2147483648
int hi = Integer.MAX_VALUE; // 2147483647
25
An int literal is any number written without using a
decimal and not ending in L or l (long literals)
it is a compile-time error if the numeric value is
outside the range that an int can represent
int x = -1;
int y = 99 – 98 + 1 – 0;
// underscores allowed between digits
// (not allowed at beginning or end)
int z = 1_000_000;
// binary, octal, and hexadecimal allowed but not
// relevant for our purposes
26
An arithmetic operation involving two int values always
produces an int value
division is truncating division (throw away the
fractional part of the quotient)
int x = 1;
int y = 3;
int z = 13;
int result = x + y; // 4
result = x – y; // -2
result = x * y; // 3
result = x / y; // 0
result = z / y; // 4
result = (x + y + z) / 3; // 5
27
An arithmetic calculation involving two int values that
produces a value greater than Integer.MAX_VALUE
wraps around to the other end of the range
int x = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
int y = x + 1; // Integer.MIN_VALUE
y = x + 2; // Integer.MIN_VALUE + 1
y = x + 3; // Integer.MIN_VALUE + 2
28
An arithmetic calculation involving two int values that
produces a value less than Integer.MIN_VALUE wraps
around to the other end of the range
int x = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
int y = x - 1; // Integer.MAX_VALUE
y = x - 2; // Integer.MAX_VALUE - 1
y = x - 3; // Integer.MAX_VALUE - 2
29
Integer overflow
integer overflow occurs when an arithmetic calculation
with an integer type results in a value that is outside
the range that can be represented by the type
in Java, wrapping occurs, but different results occur in other
programming languages
cause of many infamous events:
Ariane 5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_(spacecraft)#Launch_failure
Deep Impact https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Impact_(spacecraft)#Contact_lost_and_end_of_mission
Therac 25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therac-25
GPS week rollover https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_week_number_rollover
Year 2000 problem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2000_problem
Year 2038 problem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem
30
double is the usual choice for routine calculations
involving floating-point values
double hi = Double.MAX_VALUE; // a very big value
double lo = -hi;
// the smallest positive value
double tiny = Double.MIN_VALUE;
31
A double literal is any number written using a decimal
and not ending in F or f (float literals)
it is a compile-time error if the numeric value is
outside the range that a double can represent
double x = 1.0;
double y = 2.;
// underscores allowed between digits
// (not allowed at beginning or end)
double z = 1_000_000.99;
// scientific notation
double alsoZ = 1.00000099e6;
32
An arithmetic operation involving two double values
always produces a double value
double x = 1.0;
double y = 3.0;
double z = 13.0;
double result = x + y; // 4.0
result = x – y; // -2.0
result = x * y; // 3.0
result = x / y; // 0.33...
result = z / y; // 4.33...
result = (x + y + z) / 3; // 5.66...
33
Unlike the integer types, floating-point computations do
not wrap when values exceed the range of double
values saturate at Double.POSITIVE_INFINITY and
Double.NEGATIVE_INFINITY
double x = 1e200 * 1e200; // Double.POSITIVE_INFINITY
double y = -1e200 * 1e200; // Double.NEGATIVE_INFINITY
34
Python has user-defined functions
procedures that can be called to perform a specific
task, e.g., find the max of two integer values
def max2(a, b):
twice_max = a + b + abs(a – b)
return twice_max / 2
# in another module after importing the module
# containing max2
x = max2(5, -3)
35
𝑎+𝑏
𝑎 2 𝑏
c
𝑏 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎
2
𝑎−𝑏
c
𝑎+𝑏 𝑎−𝑏
+
2 2
36
Java has no functions
the closest analog is a public static method
a method is similar to a function but it must be
defined inside of a class (or interface)
public class Lecture2 {
public static int max2(int a, int b) {
int twiceMax = a + b + Math.abs(a – b);
return twiceMax / 2;
}
}
// continued on next slide
37
To call the max2 method, a method in another package
must import the Lecture2 class and then call the max2
method using the syntax
Lecture2.max2(arg1, arg2)
import Lecture2;
public class TestLecture2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int x = Lecture2.max2(5, -3);
}
}
38
In Python, indentation is fundamental to the language
required to denote the body of a function, if
statement, for loop, etc.
def max2(a, b):
twice_max = a + b + abs(a – b)
return twice_max / 2
39
In Java, indentation is used only for readability
the compiler does not care if your code is indented
but use the examples in the slides and course notes for
guidance on good Java programming style
// this compiles cleanly, but don't format your code
// like this
public class Lecture2 { public static int
max2(int a, int b) {
int twiceMax = a + b + Math.abs(a – b);
return twiceMax / 2;}
}
40
Java uses braces to delimit the bodies of classes,
methods, if statements, and loops
the braces are required
public class Lecture2 {
public static int max2(int a, int b) {
int twiceMax = a + b + Math.abs(a – b);
return twiceMax / 2;
} // end of method body
} // end of class body
41
