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Java Keywords

Java Keywords

In this tutorial, you’ll learn about Java Keywords which reserved and cannot be modified Java Programming.

The Java programming language has the total of 50 reserved keywords which have special meaning for the compiler and cannot be used as variable names.

The Following is a list of all Java keywords in alphabetical order, click on an individual keyword to see its description and usage example.

abstract assert boolean break byte
case catch char class const
continue default do double else
enum extends final finally float
for goto if implements import
instanceof int interface long native
new package private protected public
return short static strictfp super
switch synchronized this
throw throws
transient try void volatile while

Some noteworthy points regarding Java keywords:

  • const and goto are reserved words but not used.
  • truefalse and null are literals, not keywords.
  • all keywords are in lower-case.

The following table shows the keywords grouped by category used in Java:

Category Keywords
Access modifiers privateprotected, public
Class, method, variable modifiers abstractclassextendsfinalimplementsinterfacenativenew, staticstrictfpsynchronizedtransientvolatile
Flow control break, case, continue, default, do, else, for, if, instanceof, return,switch, while
Package control import, package
Primitive types boolean, byte, char, double, float, int, long, short
Error handling assert, catch, finally, throw, throws, try
Enumeration   enum
Others super, this, void
Unused const, goto
  • goto and const – are not used
  • enum – is present since Java 5.0
  • strictfp – is present since Java 1.2
  • assert – is present since Java 1.4
  • In addition, the identifiers null, true and false denote literal values and may not be used to create identifiers.

Recommended Book: Beginning Programming with Java For Dummies (Cover Java 7)

Ask your questions and clarify your/others doubts on Java Keywords by commenting. Java Documentation.

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