1. What is the difference between JDK, JRE, and JVM?
- JDK (Java Development Kit) includes JRE + development tools.
- JRE (Java Runtime Environment) includes JVM + libraries.
- JVM (Java Virtual Machine) executes Java bytecode.
2. What is the difference between == and equals() in Java?
- '==' checks reference equality.
- equals() checks content equality.
3. What are wrapper classes in Java?
- Wrapper classes convert primitives to objects (e.g., int to Integer).
4. What is the use of the 'final' keyword?
- Final variable: constant value.
- Final method: cannot be overridden.
- Final class: cannot be inherited.
5. What is the difference between String, StringBuilder, and StringBuffer?
- String: immutable.
- StringBuilder: mutable, not thread-safe.
- StringBuffer: mutable, thread-safe.
6. What are checked and unchecked exceptions?
- Checked: Checked at compile-time (e.g., IOException).
- Unchecked: Checked at runtime (e.g., NullPointerException).
7. What is polymorphism in Java?
- Compile-time (method overloading).
- Runtime (method overriding).
8. How does HashMap work internally?
- Uses an array of linked lists (buckets).
- Uses hashCode() to find the bucket.
- Uses equals() to check key equality.
9. What is a constructor in Java?
- A block of code invoked when an object is created.
- Types: Default, Parameterized.
10. What is the difference between ArrayList and LinkedList?
- ArrayList: dynamic array, faster for accessing elements.
- LinkedList: doubly linked list, faster for insertion/deletion.
11. What is the purpose of the 'transient' keyword?
- Prevents serialization of variables.
12. What is the use of the 'volatile' keyword?
- Ensures visibility and ordering of variables in multithreading.
13. What is method overloading and method overriding?
- Overloading: Same method name, different parameters (compile-time).
- Overriding: Same method name and parameters, different class (runtime).
14. What is a Singleton class?
- A class with a single instance using private constructor and static method.
15. What is the 'super' keyword used for?
- Access parent class members and constructors.
16. What is the difference between abstract class and interface?
- Abstract class: partial abstraction, can have concrete methods.
- Interface: full abstraction, no concrete methods (before Java 8).
17. What is a marker interface?
- An interface with no methods (e.g., Serializable).
18. What is garbage collection in Java?
- Automatic memory management by JVM to deallocate unused objects.
19. How to create a thread in Java?
- Implement Runnable interface or extend Thread class.
20. What are functional interfaces in Java?
- An interface with a single abstract method (e.g., Runnable, Callable).
