Basics
1. Introduction to Java
Java is a high-level programming language developed by James Gosling at Sun
Microsystems in 1995. It follows the principle of "Write Once, Run Anywhere"
(WORA), meaning Java programs can run on any platform that has a Java Virtual
Machine (JVM). It is widely used for building enterprise applications, Android
apps, and web applications.
Key Features
Object-Oriented: Based on objects and classes.
Platform-Independent: Runs on JVM, making it OS-agnostic.
Secure: No explicit pointers; includes runtime checks.
Multithreaded: Supports concurrent execution of multiple tasks.
Example
Here’s a simple program to print "Hello, World!" in Java:
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
[Link]("Hello, World!");
}
}
Interview Tips
What makes Java platform-independent?
Bytecode is the key! Java source code is compiled into platform-neutral
bytecode, which can be executed on any JVM.
Where is Java used?
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Java powers web apps (Spring Framework), Android apps, financial
systems, and large-scale enterprise software.
2. History of Java
Java’s journey started in 1991 as a project named Oak, intended for consumer
electronics. It was renamed to Java in 1995 due to trademark issues.
Important Milestones
1995: Java 1.0 released with basic object-oriented features.
2004: Java 5 introduced generics, annotations, and enhanced for-loops.
2014: Java 8 revolutionized Java programming with lambda expressions and
Streams API.
2021: Java 17 introduced sealed classes and other advanced features.
Fun Fact
The name "Java" came from the developers’ love for Java coffee.
Interview Tips
Who created Java?
James Gosling.
What was Java originally called?
Oak, inspired by an oak tree outside Gosling’s office.
3. Java Versions
Java evolves with each version, introducing features that simplify coding and
improve performance.
Version Release Date Key Features
JDK 1.0 January 1996 Initial release with basic object-oriented features.
JDK 1.1 February 1997 Event handling model, inner classes, JavaBeans, JDBC.
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J2SE 1.2 December 1998 Swing API, Collections framework, JIT compiler.
J2SE 1.3 May 2000 HotSpot JVM, RMI enhancements, JavaSound.
J2SE 1.4 February 2002 assert keyword, NIO, Logging API, XML processing.
September Generics, metadata (annotations), enumerated types,
J2SE 5.0
2004 enhanced for loop.
December Scripting language support, improvements to Web
Java SE 6
2006 Services, JDBC 4.0.
Diamond operator, try-with-resources, NIO.2, Fork/Join
Java SE 7 July 2011
framework.
Lambda expressions, Stream API, new Date-Time API,
Java SE 8 March 2014
Nashorn JavaScript engine.
Java SE 9 September 2017 Module system (Project Jigsaw), JShell, HTTP/2 client.
Java SE 10 March 2018 Local-variable type inference (var keyword).
September Long-Term Support (LTS), new HTTP client, local-
Java SE 11
2018 variable syntax for lambda parameters.
Java SE 12 March 2019 Switch expressions (preview), JVM constants API.
Java SE 13 September 2019 Text blocks (preview), dynamic CDS archives.
Switch expressions, records (preview), pattern
Java SE 14 March 2020
matching for instanceof (preview).
Java SE 15 September 2020 Text blocks, sealed classes (preview), hidden classes.
Records, pattern matching for instanceof, vector API
Java SE 16 March 2021
(incubator).
September LTS, sealed classes, pattern matching for switch
Java SE 17
2021 (preview).
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Simple web server, UTF-8 by default, code snippets in
Java SE 18 March 2022
API documentation.
September Virtual threads (preview), structured concurrency
Java SE 19
2022 (incubator).
Java SE 20 March 2023 Scoped values (incubator), record patterns (preview).
September LTS, pattern matching for switch, sequenced
Java SE 21
2023 collections.
Java SE 22 March 2024 Enhanced pattern matching, string templates.
Java SE 23 September 2024 Universal generics, asynchronous stack traces.
Interview Tips
Why is Java 8 so important?
Lambda expressions introduced functional programming concepts, making
Java more concise and readable.
What are sealed classes?
A feature in Java 17 that restricts inheritance, ensuring only specific
classes can extend a sealed class.
4. Identifiers
Identifiers are the names you give to variables, methods, or classes. They help
make the code meaningful and readable.
Rules
1. Must start with a letter, $ , or _ .
2. Cannot use reserved keywords.
3. Case-sensitive and must be meaningful.
Example
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int age = 25; // 'age' is an identifier
String $name = "John";
Interview Tips
What are valid identifiers?
Valid: age , _count , $value .
Invalid: 1name , int (keyword).
Can an identifier start with a number?
No, identifiers cannot begin with numbers in Java.
5. Keywords
Keywords are reserved words that Java uses for its syntax and cannot be used for
identifiers.
Examples
class , int , void , static , if , else
Code Example
public class Example {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int number = 10; // 'int' is a keyword
}
}
Interview Tips
Can you use keywords as identifiers?
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No, Java reserved keywords cannot be used as variable or method names.
6. Variables
Variables are containers that store data in a program. Java supports three types:
1. Local Variables: Declared inside a method or block.
2. Instance Variables: Belong to a specific object.
3. Static Variables: Shared among all instances of a class.
Code Example
public class VariablesExample {
static int staticVar = 10; // Shared among all objects
int instanceVar = 20; // Unique to each object
public void display() {
int localVar = 30; // Exists only during method e
xecution
[Link](localVar);
}
}
Interview Tips
Difference between static and instance variables?
Static: Stored in the method area, shared across objects.
Instance: Stored in heap memory, unique to each object.
Where are local variables stored?
In the stack memory.
7. Data Types
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Data types specify the type of data that a variable can hold.
Primitive Types
int: Whole numbers (4 bytes)
float: Decimal numbers (4 bytes)
char: Single characters (2 bytes, Unicode)
boolean: True/False (1 bit)
Non-Primitive Types
String: Sequence of characters.
Array: Collection of elements.
Objects: Instances of classes.
Example
int age = 25;
String name = "Java";
Interview Tips
Why is String non-primitive?
String is a class in Java, allowing methods like .length() and .concat() .
What is the size of char in Java?
2 bytes, as Java uses Unicode.
8. Wrapper Classes
Wrapper classes convert primitive types into objects, allowing them to be used in
collections like ArrayList .
Examples
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int → Integer
boolean → Boolean
Code Example
public class WrapperExample {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int num = 5;
Integer wrappedNum = num; // Autoboxing
int unwrappedNum = wrappedNum; // Unboxing
}
}
Interview Tips
What is autoboxing?
Automatic conversion of primitive to wrapper (e.g., int → Integer ).
Why are wrapper classes important?
Collections like ArrayList can only store objects, not primitives.
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