Java - Primitive Wrapper Classes

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What are Primitive Wrapper Classes?

The Java library has eight classes in the java.lang package to represent each of the eight primitive types.

These classes are called wrapper classes as they wrap a primitive value in an object.

Primitive TypeWrapper Class
byte Byte
short Short
intInteger
long Long
float Float
double Double
char Character
booleanBoolean

Create

All wrapper classes are immutable. They provide two ways to create their objects:

  • Using constructors
  • Using the valueOf() factory methods

Constructor

Each number wrapper class provides at least two constructors: one takes a value of the corresponding primitive type and another takes a String.

Character class provides only one constructor that takes a char.

The following snippet of code creates objects of some wrapper classes:

Demo

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // Creates an Integer object from an int
    Integer intObj1 = new Integer(100);

    // Creates an Integer object from a String
    Integer intObj2 = new Integer("1234");

    // Creates a Double object from a double
    Double doubleObj1 = new Double(10.45);

    // Creates a Double object from a String
    Double doubleObj2 = new Double("1234.56");

    // Creates a Character object from a char
    Character charObj1 = new Character('A');

    // Creates a Boolean object from a boolean
    Boolean booleanObj1 = new Boolean(true);

    // Creates Boolean objects from Strings
    Boolean booleanTrue = new Boolean("true");
    Boolean booleanFalse = new Boolean("false");
  }//from   ww w. j  a v  a2s .  co m
}

Another way to create objects of wrapper classes is to use their valueOf() methods.

The valueOf() methods are static.

The following snippet of code creates objects of some wrapper classes using their valueOf() methods:

Demo

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Integer intObj1 = Integer.valueOf(100);
    Integer intObj2 = Integer.valueOf("1234");
    Double doubleObj1 = Double.valueOf(10.45);
    Double doubleObj2 = Double.valueOf("1234.60");
    Character charObj1 = Character.valueOf('A');

  }/*from   w  w  w.  j a  va2 s  .  c  o  m*/
}

The Difference Between Using Constructors and valueOf( ) Method to Create Integer Objects

Demo

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // Create two Integer objects using constructors
    Integer iv1 = new Integer(25);
    Integer iv2 = new Integer(25);
    System.out.println("iv1 = iv1 = " + iv1 + ", iv2 = " + iv2);

    // Compare iv1 and iv2 references
    System.out.println("iv1 == iv2: " + (iv1 == iv2));

    // Let's see if they are equal in values
    System.out.println("iv1.equals(iv2): " + iv1.equals(iv2));

    System.out.println("\nUsing the valueOf() method:");

    // Create two Integer objects using the valueOf()
    Integer iv3 = Integer.valueOf(25);
    Integer iv4 = Integer.valueOf(25);
    System.out.println("iv3 = " + iv3 + ", iv4 = " + iv4);

    // Compare iv3 and iv4 references
    System.out.println("iv3 == iv4: " + (iv3 == iv4));

    // Let's see if they are equal in values
    System.out.println("iv3.equals(iv4): " + iv3.equals(iv4));
  }/*  w ww.  ja  v  a2s  . c o m*/
}

Result

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