Java is one of the most popular and efficient programming platforms.

This is an advanced, platform-independent, secure programming language under Oracle Corporation.

Java is simple and easy to understand. It eliminates ambiguous concepts of C++ or reimplements it to make it easy to understand.

This programming language is object-oriented and robust. It checks errors at run time and compiler. Java collects garbage with its robust memory management system, the garbage collector.

Java is used almost everywhere. Industries like eCommerce, finance, trading, gaming, insurance, and big data use Java-based technology. Hence, the use of Java is not limited to website and mobile application development. 

Software testing interview questions often lead to the fundamentals of programming in Java for an entry-level position. Hence, if you are preparing for the software tester position, you must be prepared for questions relating to Java.

Did you know you can also calculate leap years using the leap year program in Java? But you must have the core knowledge of the fundamentals of Java to perform the said program.

Learn about the fundamentals of programming in Java from this blog post. 

An Overview of Java

Java is an advanced and widely used programming language. It is a high-level, general-purpose, object-oriented, and secured programming language. 

In 1991, James Gosling developed Java at San Microsystems. Java was called OAK before it got its present name in 1995. 

You can access Java freely. Java runs on every platform, working on the WORA (Write Once, Run Everywhere) principle. 

Now, you need to know about the different editions of Java.

What are the editions of Java?

Java has three distinct editions, and each edition possesses different capabilities:

1. Java Standard Editions (SE)

If you need to create programs for a desktop computer, you will have to use the SE. 

1. Java Enterprise Edition (EE)

You must use the EE if you are about to create large programs. Usually, the programs that run on servers or manage complex transactions and heavy traffic are created by the EE. 

1. Java Micro Edition (ME)

The Java Micro edition creates small device applications. 

Once you finish learning about the editions, it’s time you brace up for the Java fundamental concepts if you want to learn the steps of the leap year program in Java.

Fundamentals of Java

As a beginner, you must have a clear idea about all the following topics:

• Java Environment
• Basic Syntax
• Keywords
• Identifiers
• Data Types
• Variables
• Literals 
• Operators

Let’s start from the first point:

• Java Environment

Java programming has three distinct components: JVM, JRE and JDK.

1. Java Virtual Machine (JVM): It gives the programmer a runtime environment to execute the bytecode. 
2. Java Runtime Environment (JRE): It is a group of tools that aids in application development. 
3. Java Development Kit (JDK): The Development Tools aid the developing Java programs. 

These are essential parts of Java fundamentals. 

• Basic Syntax

Java has its own rule set that declares, defines and works on its definite components. You will get an explanation of its major components and syntaxes while printing ‘Hello World’ in Java. 

• Keywords

In any programming language, there is a reserved set of words. This set of words is called keywords. Java has nearly 50 primary keywords. 

These keywords are used as the name of variables in Java, method or class. Keywords cannot be used anywhere else in the programs.

• Identifiers

As the name suggests, identifiers are names or characters used for identification. You have to be careful while naming them to avoid any errors. Identifiers can be class names, label names, and variable names.

• Data Types

Each variable in Java has a primary data type that denotes the type of data that fits that variable. You can identify the type of operations you can perform on that variable. 

Java has two types of data type:

1. Primitive Data Type

Primitive data types are the primary data values. They are considered the fundamental Java data types. 

In a Java compiler, primitive data types are hard-coded so the compiler can easily recognize them. You will learn about 8 primitive data types:

• Boolean 
• Byte 
• Char 
• Double
• Float
• Int 
• Long
• Short

You must learn about the Boolean data type to perform the leap year program in Java. 

1. Non-Primitive Data Type

They are much different from the primitive data type. Non-primitive data types are user-defined data types with definitions in the program. 

In short, these data types are usually reference data types. Classes, strings, and interfaces are some examples of non-primitive data types. 

You must put a string while running the leap year program in Java.  

• Variables

Variables are containers that store the data according to their data types. They store data of both primitive and non-primitive data types. 

There are three types of variables in Java programs:

1. Local Variables
2. Class Variables (Static Variables)
3. Instance Variables (Non-static Variables)

• Literals

Literals are the constants in Java as they have constant values. These are the data that remain constant. 

These values can be numeric, Boolean, character or string values. Let’s check out the types of literals in Java:

1. Boolean literals
2. Character literals
3. String literals
4. Integral literals
5. Floating literals
6. null literal

You have to learn about all the literal types in Java. 

• Operators 

Have you heard about tokens? Every token signifies a particular operation.

Likewise, Java operators too, are tokens that aid in specific operations. All you have to do is couple them with variables. 

However, the operation can be any sort, like addition or multiplication. Several types of operators are present in Java:

1. Arithmetic Operators
2. Assignment Operators
3. Bitwise Operators
4. Conditional Operators
5. Logical Operators
6. Relational Operators
7. Shift Operators
8. Ternary Operators
9. Unary Operators

You can perform the leap year program in Java using the Ternary operators. 

These are the fundamentals of programming in Java. However, to become a skilled programmer, you must learn beyond the fundamentals like the classes, strings, methods, arrays etc., from the reference data types, decision-making, loops, comments and many more. 

You may ask about the applications of Java while learning about different fundamentals. Check out the Java applications below:

1. Cloud computing
2. Computer games
3. Cryptography
4. Desktop applications
5. Embedded systems
6. Enterprise applications
7. Mobile applications (Android)
8. Operating Systems
9. Scientific applications
10. Smart cards
11. Web applications
12. Web servers and application servers

Java has positive features that enable programmers to code quickly and efficiently while maintaining safety. 

Wrapping up

Learning about the fundamentals of programming in Java creates a strong base for every beginner.

Use this blog post as your learning guide and expand the boundaries of your Java programming language.