Java Fundamentals Recap

Java is a versatile, high-level programming language that follows the Object-Oriented Programming paradigm. It was designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible, making it a popular choice for developers.

Java has two main categories of data types:

• Primitive Data Types: Includes int, boolean, char, double, etc.
• Reference Data Types: Includes objects and arrays.

Example of declaring variables:

int age = 25;
boolean isJavaFun = true;
char grade = 'A';

Control structures dictate the flow of the program. The main types include:

1. Conditional Statements: if, if-else, switch.
2. Loops: for, while, do-while.

Example of a conditional statement:

if (age >= 18) {
    System.out.println("Adult");
} else {
    System.out.println("Minor");
}

Java is based on four main principles of Object-Oriented Programming:

• Encapsulation
• Inheritance
• Polymorphism
• Abstraction

Example of a simple class:

class Dog {
    String name;
    int age;

    void bark() {
        System.out.println("Woof!");
    }
}

Exception handling in Java is managed via five keywords: try, catch, finally, throw, and throws. It enables graceful error handling.

Example:

try {
    int divideByZero = 5 / 0;
} catch (ArithmeticException e) {
    System.out.println("Cannot divide by zero");
} finally {
    System.out.println("This will always execute");
}

Following best practices enhances code quality and maintainability:

• Use meaningful variable and method names.
• Comment your code for clarity.
• Follow Java naming conventions.
• Avoid hardcoding values; use constants instead.