Java Keywords – List of 51 Keywords with Examples

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In a programmer’s life, knowing all the keywords are very essential to build a program properly. In this article, we will discuss all the keywords that JDK has in reserve.

What are Keywords in java?

Keywords are special tokens that add a different meaning to the language compiler. Each keyword has its own individual function and performs a specific task assigned to it. In Java, we have 50 such reserved words, out of which 48 are in use and 2 are reserved but not in use. Keywords cannot be used as identifiers in a program, so it is essential that a programmer knows all the keywords to avoid any kind of syntax or logical errors.

Let us study all the keywords that java provides us with in detail.

1. abstract: Using the abstract keyword in java we can create abstract classes and methods. Abstract keywords are essential to implement abstraction into a program.

For example:

abstract class DataFlair

2. assert: Using the assert keyword we can implement assertion in a program. Using it we can check the correctness of any assumptions made in a program. The assert keyword was added in JDK 1.4.

For Example:

int i = 10;
           assert i > 5 : "The value is greater than 5";

3. boolean: Using the boolean keyword we can declare a boolean variable. A boolean variable is a variable that has two values, true and false.

For example:

boolean flag = true;

4. break: The break keyword is a jump statement using which we can break out of a loop or switch statement. The break statement terminates the currently executing block of code.

For example:

i=0;
while(true)
{
     if(i==10)
     break;
     i++;
}

5. byte: Using the byte keyword in java we can declare a variable that can hold a value of 1 byte or 8 bit.

For example:

byte num=1;

6. case: Using the case statement we can declare each case inside a switch-case block.

For example:

{
     case 1:
               System.out.println(“ONE”);
               break;
}

7. catch: The catch keyword is part of exception handling in java. Using the catch keyword we can catch or capture the error caught by the try block. A catch block can exist only after the try block.

For Example:

catch (Exception e)
{
       System.out.println(“An exception was caught by the try block”);
}

8. char: Using the char keyword we can declare a character variable.

For example:

char ch=’A’;

9. class: Using the class keyword we can declare a class in java.

For example:

class DataFlair

10. continue: Continue is also a jump statement in java. Using it we can terminate the current iteration and continue from the next iteration inside the loop.

For example:

i=0;
while(i<=10)
{
     if(i==5)
     continue;
     i++;
}

11. default: default is the keyword using which we can declare the default statement inside a switch case. It is executed when none of the cases match.

For Example:

Switch(num)
{
     case 1:
               System.out.println(“ONE”);
               break;
     default:
               System.out.println(“Not ONE”);
}

12. do: Using the do keyword we can declare a do-while loop. It is an exit controlled loop, so it doesn’t have any entry condition.

For example:

i=0;
do{
        i++;
     }while(i<=10);

13. double: Using the double keyword we can declare a double variable. A double variable can hold a 64bit long floating point number.

For Example:

double d= 1.23456;

14. else: Using the else keyword we can write statements that will be executed when the if block doesn’t execute successfully.

For example:

i=5;
if(i!=5)
System.out.println(“Not Five”);
else
System.out.println(“FIVE”);

15. enum: Using the enum keyword we can declare an enumerated class. It consists of a fixed set of constants. Enum constructors are always private by default. Enum keyword was added to java in JDK 5.0.

For Example:

enum Rainbow
{
  Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green,
  Yellow, Orange, Red;
}

16. extends: extend keyword is used in inheritance. Using it we can inherit one class into another.

For Example:

class subclass extends superclass

17. final: Using the final keyword we can finalize the value of a variable. It means that the value cannot be updated by the user whatsoever.

For example:

final int num = 1000; 

18. finally: The finally keyword is used after the try-catch block. It indicates the end of the block. Unlike the try-catch block, the finally block will be executed regardless of whether an exception is found or not.

For Example:

finally{
System.out.println("This block is always executed whatsoever!");
} 

19. float: Using the float keyword we can declare a float variable in java. The float variable holds a 32-bit long floating-point number.

For example:

float num= 1.324f;

20. for: Using the for keyword we can declare a for loop. It is an entry controlled loop, for this kind of loop the number of iterations should be known beforehand.

For example:

for(i=0;i<10;i++)
{
    System.out.println(i);
}

21. if: In java, if keyword is used to declare if conditional statement. The if statement is used to check the viability of a condition.

For Example:

i=5;
if(i==5)
{
    System.out.println(“The Number is Five”);
}

22. implements: Using the implements keyword in java we can declare an interface. It is like inheritances extend keyword, here to access an interface we have to use the implements keyword.

For Example:

interface DataFlair{
public void intern();
}
class internship implements DataFlair
{
        Public void intern()
       {
                System.out.println(“Internship Granted”);
        }
}

23. import: Using the import keyword in java we can access classes and interfaces present inside a package to the current code.

For Example:

import java.util.Arrays; 

24. instanceof: Using the instanceof keyword in java we can check whether a given object is an instance of another class or not. It returns true if the given object is an instance and false if not.

For Example:

public class DataFlair {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    DataFlair Obj1 = new DataFlair();
    System.out.println(Obj1 instanceof DataFlair);// It will return True.
  }
}

25. int: Using the int keyword we can declare a variable of integer datatype. It can hold a value of 32-bit long.

For Example:

int num=100;

26. interface: Using the interface keyword in java we can declare an interface inside the code.

For Example:

interface DataFlair{}

27. long: Using the long keyword we can declare variables with long data type. The long data type is integers that can hold 64-bit of data.

For Example:

long num=100000;

28. native: The native keyword in java is used to indicate that a method is implemented in native code using JNI[Java Native Interface].

For Example:

Public native void DataFlair();

29. new: Using the new keyword we can create a new instance for a class.

For Example:

public class DataFlair {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    DataFlair Obj1 = new DataFlair();
}

30. Package: Using the package keyword in java we can create a new package in the java library.

For Example:

package com.DataFlair.Keywords;

31. private: private keyword is an access modifier that declares a class or method as private; i.e; it can only be accessed by its local variables.

For Example:

private class DataFlair{}

32. protected: protected is also an access modifier that declares a class or method as protected; i.e; it can be accessed by files in the PWD(Present Working Directory).

For Example:

protected class DataFlair{}

33. public: public is another access modifier that declares a class or method as public; i,e; it can be accessed globally.

For Example:

public class DataFlair{}

34. return: The return keyword is used inside a method when it requires to return a value of a certain return type except void.

For Example:

int sum(int a, int b)
{
     return (a+b);
}
 

35. short: In java, the short keyword declares variables that can hold an integer value of 16-bit long.

For Example:

short num=1;

36. static: In java, the static keyword declares a static variable or method. A static variable or method is stored in a static memory location.

For Example:

public static void main() 

37. strictfp: In java, strictfp keyword ensures that every platform gets the same result for floating-point operation. The strictfp keyword is used on classes, methods and interfaces. This keyword was introduced in JDK 1.2.

For Example:

strictfp class DataFlair{}

38. super: The super keyword distinguishes variables with the same name in both parent class and child class in inheritance.

For Example:

class DataFlair
{
     String name=”Company”;
}
class internship extends DataFlair/
{
     String name=”Intern”;
     System.out.println(name);//Intern will be printed
     System.out.println(super.name);//Company will be printed
}

39. switch: Using the switch keyword we can initiate the switch case block in a java code.

For Example:

Switch(num)
{
     case 1:
               System.out.println(“ONE”);
               break;
     default:
               System.out.println(“Not ONE”);
}

40. synchronized: Using the synchronized keyword in java we can specify the critical section to be executed during multithread coding.

For Example:

synchronized void print(int num)

41. this: this keyword in java is used to distinguish local variables from global variables.

For example:

class DataFlair{
String name;
DataFlair(String name)
{
     this.name=name;
}
}

42. throw: The throw keyword in java is used to throw custom made exceptions explicitly into the code.

For Example:

throw new IOException("The Input is Not Acceptable”); 
 

43. throws: The throws keyword is used to propagate a checked exception.

For Example:

import java.io.*;  
class DataFlair{  
 void internship()throws IOException{  
  throw new IOException("Internship Not Found");  
 }  
}  

44. transient: Using the transient keyword in java we can deserialize a variable. When a variable is declared transient, it is not considered for serialization.

For Example:

transient int num;

45. try: The try block is used in exception handling to test a block of code for exceptions. The try block is always followed by a catch block or finally block.

For Example:

 try{
//statement
}catch(exception e){}

46. void: Using the void keyword we can declare that the method will not return any value.

For Example:

void main()

47. volatile: volatile keyword in java is used to indicate that a variable can change asynchronously.

For Example:

static volatile int num=100;

48. while: Using the While keyword we can declare a while loop. While loop is an entry controlled loop, where the number of iterations is not fixed.

For example:

i=5;
while(i<=10)
{
    i++;
}

Note: There are two other keywords that are reserved but not used, they are const and goto. Words like true, false and null might seem like keywords, but they are actually literals.

Quiz on Java keywords

Conclusion:

In this article, we took a brief look at all the keywords that are present in java. Each of these keywords has a vast role in coding. Knowing each keyword in detail is very essential for every programmer.

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