Programming

What is the size of int in java?

2 answer(s)
Answer # 1 #

In Java, the size of an int is always 32 bits (4 bytes), regardless of the underlying platform. This is one of Java's "write once, run anywhere" features - the data type sizes are standardized across all implementations.

  • Range: -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 (-2^31 to 2^31-1)
  • Size: Exactly 4 bytes (32 bits)
  • Default value: 0

This is different from languages like C/C++ where int size can vary by compiler and platform. Java's consistency makes it much easier to write portable code.

Other primitive types in Java: - byte: 1 byte (-128 to 127) - short: 2 bytes (-32,768 to 32,767) - long: 8 bytes (huge range) - float: 4 bytes - double: 8 bytes

The Java Language Specification officially defines these sizes if you need authoritative reference.

[25 Day]
(2)
Answer # 2 #

As a Java developer for over 10 years, I can confirm int is always 4 bytes in Java. Here's why this matters:

Memory considerations: - Each int variable uses exactly 4 bytes of memory - In arrays: int[1000] uses about 4,000 bytes + small overhead - This predictability helps with memory planning

When you might need other sizes: - Use byte for very small numbers to save memory - Use long for numbers larger than 2 billion - Use short for numbers under 32,000 when memory is critical

Common mistake I see: ```java // Don't do this for large numbers: int bigNumber = 3000000000; // This won't compile!

// Do this instead: long bigNumber = 3000000000L; The consistency across Windows, Linux, Mac, and all JVMs is one of Java's best features for cross-platform development.

[24 Day]
(0)

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