Java Programming Basics: Variables, Methods, and Keywords

Vocabulary terms covering basic Java concepts including object construction, memory management, variable scopes, arithmetic operators, and core keywords.

Constructor

A special type of method used to construct objects, which always shares the same name as the class and does not have a return type.

Global Variables

Variables declared at the class level, also known as class level variables, that have broader visibility than local variables.

Local Variables

Variables defined within a method whose accessibility and visibility are restricted to that particular method.

this Keyword

A keyword that refers to the global level current class instance variable; it is used to avoid repeated object creation that can slow down processing.

Modulus Operator ($\%$)

An arithmetic operator that returns the remainder of a division as the answer.

Division Operator ($/$)

An arithmetic operator that returns the quotient (referred to as the question number) as the result of a division.

Variable

A container used for holding data or references to object creations within a program.

new Keyword

A memory reserving keyword in Java used to initiate object creation and occupy space in memory.

Main Method

The official entry point of the Java Virtual Machine ($JVM$) where program execution begins.

Keywords

Also called reserved words, these are predefined terms in Java (such as $public$, $class$, or $static$) that have specific meanings.

Public

An access modifier keyword indicating that the variable or method is accessible by everyone.

Static

A keyword indicating that a member belongs to the class family rather than a specific instance; it can be invoked using the class name.

Void

A return type used in method signatures to indicate that the method does not return any value.

Method Signature

The first line of a method that includes its access modifier, return type, name, and arguments.

Upper Camel Case

A naming convention followed in Java where class names start with a capital letter (e.g., $WebDriver$, $System$, $Actions$).

Return Statement

A keyword used to exit a method and provide a value (such as an integer or boolean) back to the caller, provided the method is not defined as $void$.