CODEWITHSUNDEEP
java
zurfyx
zurfyx

Reputation: 32767

Java - difference null vs empty

What is the difference between initialising to null or empty:

Type name = null;
Type name;

Is there any difference at all?

I understand that for example:

String name = null;
String name = "";

The difference would be that the first one does not initialise it to any value and the other one does, but is there are any difference between the first two?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 129

Answers (3)

user569322
user569322

Reputation:

No. There is no difference. If you do not assign a default value, the variable is automatically considered null.

Upvotes: 2

Hovercraft Full Of Eels
Hovercraft Full Of Eels

Reputation: 285405

The only difference that I know of is if you declare the variable in a local scope and not in class scope, the compiler will complain if you try to use the variable before some initialization for the latter. Otherwise there is no difference that I know.

Upvotes: 2

Jigar Joshi
Jigar Joshi

Reputation: 240870

Type name = null;
Type name;

default value for any reference variable is null so no difference

if it is defined into some local scope then it will give you compiler error if you attempt to access it before initializing it

Upvotes: 7

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