Java MCQ: What is the default value of a char in Java?
Answer:
Explanation:
The default value of a char in Java is the null character '\0'. The char data type is a 16-bit Unicode character, which allows it to represent any character in the Unicode standard. When a char variable is declared but not explicitly initialized, Java assigns it the null character as its default value. This default is equivalent to a Unicode value of 0, which represents the absence of a character.
Understanding the default value of char is important because it influences how uninitialized char fields in classes behave. For example, if you create an object that includes a char field and you do not explicitly set its value, the field will contain '\0':
class MyClass {
char myChar;
}
MyClass obj = new MyClass();
System.out.println("Default char value: " + obj.myChar); // Outputs: Default char value: (blank)
In the above example, the myChar field is initialized to '\0' by default, which appears as a blank space when printed. This behavior ensures that all fields in Java have a predictable value, even if they are not explicitly initialized.
It’s also important to note that '\0' is not the same as the string null, which is used to indicate the absence of an object reference. The null character is a legitimate character in the Unicode set and can be used in situations where you need to represent an empty or uninitialized state within a string or character sequence. Understanding this distinction helps avoid common pitfalls when dealing with char types in Java.
Reference links:
https://www.javaguides.net/p/java-tutorial-learn-java-programming.html