Primitive data types vs. reference data types

  • Besides the primitive data types, all other data types in Java are reference data types

  • Reference:

      • A reference in computer science is a memory address

  • Reference data type:

      • A variable of a reference data type stores an memory address

  • Examples of reference data type:

      • String
      • Arrays

  • Variables of primitive data types and reference data types are stored differently in Java

Storage of variables of primitive data types

  • Variables of primitive data types are stored as follows:

  • The variable a contains a value of the primitive data type

Storage of variables of reference data types

  • Variables of reference data types are stored as follows:

  • The variable a contains a reference to the location where the (array) object is stored