Java Variables, Types of Variables, Local Variable Type Inference

Java Types of Variables

1. Local Variable
2. Static Variable
3. Instance Variable

Java Variables Without Type Inference

Java Local Variable

In Java 10, the local variable is a variable that given a local scope. Scope of the local variable is within any function or block, that overrides the same name variable declared as a larger scope block.

   
 
    
public class LocalVariableDemo {
	public static void main(String[] args){
		int score; // local variable declared	
		score= 90;  // local variable initialized
		System.out.print(score);  // local  variable used
	}
}

    

Output of the Above Program :

90

Java Static Variable

In Java 10, the global variable can be achieved by the static keywords. An instance variable can be declared as static. When the object of its class declared, it doesn’t create a copy of a static variable. Instead, all instances of that class share the same static variable block.

   
 
    
public class StaticVariableDemo {
	
	public static void main(String[] args){
		static int score; // use static keywords to declare a global variable
		
		score= 90;  // Global variable initialized
		System.out.println(score);  // Global   variable used
		score = 80;  // Global variable re-initialized
		System.out.println(score);  // Global variable re-used
	}
}

    

The above example shows the use of static variables, static variables created as “score” which share the same memory block.

Output of the Above Program :

90
80

Java Instance Variable

In Java 10, the java instance variable is a data member of the class, the class encapsulates the data members and functions. The instance variable is accessible to all functions inside the same class. An example of the Instance variable is given below:

   
 
    
public class InstanceVariableDemo {
	private int score; //  instance variable should be outside the function
	public static void main(String[] args){
		
		
		score= 90;  // Global variable initialized
		System.out.println(score);  // Global   variable used
		score = 80;  // Global variable re-initialized
		System.out.println(score);  // Global variable re-used
	}
}

    

The above example gives the illustration of the java instance variable. An instance variable is created called a score which has a private access modifier.

Output of the Above Program :

90
80

Java Variables With Type Inference

In java 10 or above there is only a local variable supported for type inference, which cannot be able to use static keywords with type inference. you just need to initialize a local variable type-inference, type-inference local variable can’t be declared empty and initialize it later. The following example shows, how type inference can be used in local variables:

Java Local Variable type-inference

   
 
    
 public class LocalVariableInferenceDemo {
	public static void main(String[] args){
		var score; // local variable declared	
		score= 90;  // local variable initialized
		System.out.print(score);  // local  variable used
	}
}

    

Output of the Above Program :

90

Local Variable Type Inference Limitations

There are certain types of limitation in Local Variable Type Inference, some of them shown below:

Can’t use ‘var’ type-inference variable without initialize

If the var type local variables is not initialized, it will raise an error because the compiler is unable to infer the type of variables.

In case, if user-declared but not initialize the var as shown below :

var score; // Wrong,  Initializer required.

Following error will show :

C:\codenaive>javac variable.java
variable.java:6: error: cannot infer type for local variable score
                var score;
                    ^
  (cannot be used "var" on variable without  any initializer)
1 error

‘var’ type local variable cannot use null as an initializer

If the var type local variable is initialized to null, it will raise an error because the compiler is unable to infer the type of variables.

var score = null; // Wrong,  Initializer required.

Following error will show :

C:\codenaive>javac variable.java
variable.java:6: error: cannot infer type for local variable score
                var score=null;
                    ^
  (variable initializer is 'null')
1 error

Only one variable can be declared at a time

Cannot declare multiple variables with inference type, it will raise an error because the compiler is unable to infer the type of variables.

   
 
    
var scoreValid=0; // Valid
var resultValid=0;	// Valid
											
var score=0,result=0; // Wrong,  Inference type variable should  have only one variable.

    

Following error will show :

C:\codenaive>javac variable.java
variable.java:6: error: 'var' is not allowed in a compound declaration
                var score=0,result=0;
                    ^
1 error

With an array user can only declare it, cannot initialize it.

   
 
    
var myArrayRight =  new int[10];  //Valid , Declartion of Array using type inference

var myArrayWrong = {'c','o','d','e','n','a','i','v','e'}; // Wrong, Declartion.
    

Following error will show :

C:\codenaive>javac variable.java
variable.java:6: error: cannot infer type for local variable myArrayWrong
                var myArrayWrong = {'c','o','d','e','n','a','i','v','e'}; // Wrong, Declartion.
                    ^
  (array initializer needs an explicit target-type)
1 error

Local variable type inference cannot be used in lambda expression as initializers.

Local variable type inference cannot be used in method references as initializers.