Keywords in Java
Introduction
- Keywords are the predefined, reserved words used by the Java compiler for specific operations.
- There are total 50 keywords in Java, in which 48 keywords are actively used in programming and 2 reserved words (goto and const) that are not currently used in java.
Below is the list of all reserved words in java :-
| Category | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Data Types |
boolean, char, byte, short, int, long, float, double,
|
| Control Statements |
if, else, switch, case, default,
for, while, do, break, continue
|
| Class/Interface |
class, interface, enum, extends, implements
|
| Object Management | new, this, super, null |
| Modifiers |
abstract, final, static, synchronized,
transient, volatile
|
| Package Management | package, import |
| Access Modifiers | public, private, protected |
| Return Type | void, return |
| Exception Handling |
try, catch, finally, throw, throws,
assert
|
| Synchronization | synchronized |
| Others |
native, strictfp, boolean, instanceof
|
| Not Used |
goto, const
|
NOTE :
-
true,falseandnullare not keywords, they are literals (reserved words). -
There are 5 Contextual keywords in Java, that act like keywords only in specific situations.
These keywords are
var,yield,record,sealedandnon-sealed. So total there are 57 reserved words including 5 contextual keywords in Java.
Characteristics of Keywords in Java:
- Reserved Words: Keywords have specific meanings and are reserved for particular functions in the Java language.
-
Case-Sensitive:
All keywords in Java are case-sensitive (e.g.,
classis a keyword, butClassis not). - Cannot be Identifiers: They cannot be used to name variables, methods, classes or other user-defined identifiers.
- Enhance Readability: Keywords make the code easier to understand by providing a common vocabulary for developers.
- Fixed Set: Java has a fixed list of keywords, and new ones are rarely added across versions.
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