Java Programming Notes: Variables, Constants,
Data Types, Input and Output
1. What is a Variable?
A variable in Java is a reference to a memory location used to store data. You
can store, modify, and reuse data by referencing these variables.
Example:
int age = 20;
• int: Data type (integer)
• age: Variable name
• 20: Value assigned to the variable
2. Variable Declaration and Initialization
You can declare a variable and assign it a value in one step. You can also
declare multiple variables in one line.
Example:
int num = 10; // Declares and assigns value in one step
Note: You can declare multiple variables in one line:
int a, b, c;
3. What is a Constant?
In Java, constants are declared using the final keyword. Once a value is
assigned to a constant, it cannot be changed.
Example:
final float pi = 3.1416f;
• final: Keyword indicating the value cannot be changed.
• float: Data type for decimal numbers.
• pi: Constant name.
4. Data Types
Data types in Java specify the kind of value a variable can hold. Here are the
common data types:
Type Explanation Examples
int Integer numbers 5, -100, 0
float Decimal numbers 3.14, -2.5
char A single character 'A', 'z'
double Bigger/more precise decimals 3.1415926535
Size and Range in Java (for 32-bit systems):
Type Size Range
int 4 bytes -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647
float 4 bytes ±3.4e38
double 8 bytes ±1.7e308
char 2 bytes 0 to 65,535 (Unicode)
5. Taking Input — Scanner Class
In Java, you use the Scanner class to take input from the user.
Example:
import [Link];
Scanner scanner = new Scanner([Link]);
int age = [Link]();
• nextInt(): Reads an integer from the user input.
Common input methods for different data types:
• int: nextInt()
• float: nextFloat()
• char: next().charAt(0) (for single characters)
• double: nextDouble()
• string: next() (for words)
6. Rules for Naming Variables
In Java, variable names must follow these rules:
• Variable names cannot start with a number.
• They can contain letters, numbers, and underscores.
• Reserved keywords cannot be used.
Good Practices:
• Use camelCase naming style for variables (e.g., studentAge,
totalSalary).
• Choose meaningful variable names (e.g., radius, averageMarks).
7. Example Program (Sum of Two Numbers)
import [Link];
public class SumTwoNumbers {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner scanner = new Scanner([Link]);
int a, b, sum;
[Link]("Enter two numbers: ");
a = [Link]();
b = [Link]();
sum = a + b;
[Link]("Sum = " + sum);
}
}
Input:
Enter two numbers: 5 7
Output:
Sum = 12
8. Another Example (Average of Two Decimal Numbers)
import [Link];
public class AverageTwoNumbers {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner scanner = new Scanner([Link]);
float x, y, avg;
[Link]("Enter two numbers: ");
x = [Link]();
y = [Link]();
avg = (x + y) / 2;
[Link]("Average = %.2f\n", avg);
}
}
• The %.2f format specifier ensures that the result is displayed with two
decimal places.
9. [Link]() — Explanation
[Link]() is used to print text, data, or variables to the console
in Java.
• System: Refers to the System class in the [Link] package.
• out: out is an instance of PrintStream, used to send output to the
console.
• println(): This method prints the content and moves to the next line.
Example:
[Link]("Hello, World!");
Output:
Hello, World!
Key Points:
• The println() method prints the content and moves the cursor to the
next line.
• You can print numbers, variables, or expressions.
Examples of [Link]() in Action:
1. Printing a String:
[Link]("Hello, World!");
Output:
Hello, World!
2. Printing Numbers:
int age = 20;
[Link](age);
Output:
20
3. Printing Multiple Values:
int a = 5, b = 7;
[Link]("Sum of a and b: " + (a + b));
Output:
Sum of a and b: 12
4. Printing Expressions:
[Link](10 + 5);
Output:
15
5. Printing a Variable:
String name = "Nafis";
[Link]("Name: " + name);
Output:
Name: Nafis
Comparison Between println() and print()
• println(): Prints the content and moves to a new line.
• print(): Prints the content without moving to a new line.
Example:
[Link]("Hello");
[Link](" ");
[Link]("World!");
Output:
Hello World!