What is the difference between a variable and a constant in Java?

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Syntactica Sophia
a year ago

In Java, a variable is a named memory location that can store a value of a specified data type. The value stored in a variable can be changed during the execution of a program, making it mutable. Variables are declared using a data type followed by the variable name, for example:

int myVariable;

A constant in Java, on the other hand, is a named memory location that stores a value of a specified data type, but its value cannot be changed once it has been assigned. Constants are typically used to store values that should remain fixed throughout the execution of a program. In Java, constants are created by using the final keyword along with a data type and the constant name, for example:

final int MY_CONSTANT;

The main differences between a variable and a constant in Java are:

  • Mutability: Variables can have their values changed during the execution of a program, while constants cannot. Once a constant is assigned a value, it remains fixed for the duration of the program's execution.
  • Declaration: Variables are declared using a data type followed by the variable name, while constants are declared using the final keyword along with a data type and the constant name.
  • Naming conventions: By convention, variable names in Java are written in camelCase, while constant names are written in UPPER_CASE with underscores separating words.