Java Interview Questions and Answers
Core Java Questions
What are the main features of Java?
Platform Independence: Java code runs on any device with a JVM.
Object-Oriented: Java uses objects to structure code.
Simple: Java is easy to learn and write.
Secure: Java has built-in security features.
Multi-threaded: Java supports multiple tasks at once.
What is the Java Virtual Machine (JVM)?
JVM: Converts Java bytecode into machine code so it can run on different operating systems.
What is the difference between JDK, JRE, and JVM?
JDK: Includes tools for developing Java applications (e.g., compiler, JRE).
JRE: Runs Java applications (contains JVM).
JVM: Part of JRE that runs bytecode on any device.
What is a Class and an Object in Java?
Class: A blueprint for creating objects (e.g., a Car class).
Object: An instance of a class (e.g., your car is an object of the Car class).
What are Constructors in Java?
Constructor: Initializes an object when it's created.
Default Constructor: Provided by Java if no constructor is defined; uses default values.
Parameterized Constructor: Allows you to specify values when creating an object.
What is Inheritance in Java?
Inheritance: Allows a class to use properties and methods from another class (e.g., Car inherits from
Vehicle).
What is Polymorphism?
Polymorphism: An object can take many forms.
Method Overloading: Multiple methods with the same name but different parameters.
Method Overriding: A subclass provides a specific implementation of a method from its superclass.
What is Encapsulation?
Encapsulation: Keeps data safe by making fields private and providing public methods to access
them.
What is Abstraction?
Abstraction: Hides complex implementation details and shows only the essential features. Achieved
through abstract classes and interfaces.
What are Access Modifiers?
Public: Accessible from any other class.
Private: Accessible only within the same class.
Protected: Accessible within the same package and by subclasses.
Default: Accessible only within the same package (no modifier).
Additional Entry-Level Questions
What is a method in Java?
Method: A block of code that performs a specific task and is part of a class. For example,
printName() in a Person class prints the person's name.
What is the static keyword?
Static: Used for methods or variables that belong to the class, not to any specific object. For
example, static int count; belongs to the class and is shared among all instances.
What is the difference between an abstract class and an interface?
Abstract Class: A class that can't be instantiated and can have abstract methods (without body) and
non-abstract methods (with body).
Interface: A collection of abstract methods (no implementation). A class implements an interface by
providing the body for the methods.
What is the difference between a stack and a heap in memory?
Stack: Memory area that stores local variables and method calls. It's small and operates in a LIFO
(Last In, First Out) manner.
Heap: Memory area that stores objects. It's larger and used for dynamic memory allocation.
What are loops in Java? Explain for, while, and do-while loops.
For Loop: Executes a block of code a specific number of times. Example: for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
While Loop: Repeats a block of code as long as a condition is true. Example: while(condition)
Do-While Loop: Similar to the while loop but guarantees the block of code runs at least once.
Example: do { } while(condition)
What is a package in Java?
Package: A way to organize related classes and interfaces. For example, java.util is a package that
contains utility classes like ArrayList.
What is the difference between String, StringBuilder, and StringBuffer?
String: Immutable (cannot be changed after creation).
StringBuilder: Mutable and faster for string manipulation, but not thread-safe.
StringBuffer: Mutable and thread-safe, but slower than StringBuilder.
What is a try-catch block? How does it work?
Try-Catch Block: Used for handling exceptions. Code that might throw an exception goes inside try,
and the code to handle it goes inside catch.
Example:
try {
int result = 10 / 0;
} catch (ArithmeticException e) {
System.out.println('Cannot divide by zero.');
What is the difference between the equals() method and the '==' operator?
== Operator: Compares references (whether two objects point to the same memory location).
equals() Method: Compares the actual content or values of objects.
What is the use of the this keyword in Java?
this Keyword: Refers to the current object. It's used to avoid naming conflicts between class fields
and parameters or to call another constructor from within a constructor.
Example:
class Person {
private String name;
Person(String name) {
this.name = name; // 'this' refers to the instance variable 'name'
