Java Interview Questions and Answers

Can an unreachable object become reachable again?
An unreachable object may become reachable again. This can happen when the object's finalize() method is invoked and the object performs an operation which causes it to become accessible to reachable objects.
What method must be implemented by all threads?
All tasks must implement the run() method, whether they are a subclass of Thread or implement the Runnable interface.
What is Externalizable?
Externalizable is an Interface that extends Serializable Interface. And sends data into Streams in Compressed Format. It has two methods, writeExternal(ObjectOuput out) and readExternal(ObjectInput in)
What modifiers are allowed for methods in an Interface?
Only public and abstract modifiers are allowed for methods in interfaces.
What are some alternatives to inheritance?
Delegation is an alternative to inheritance. Delegation means that you include an instance of another class as an instance variable, and forward messages to the instance. It is often safer than inheritance because it forces you to think about each message you forward, because the instance is of a known class, rather than a new class, and because it doesn't force you to accept all the methods of the super class: you can provide only the methods that really make sense. On the other hand, it makes you write more code, and it is harder to re-use (because it is not a subclass).
What does it mean that a method or field is 'static'?
Static variables and methods are instantiated only once per class. In other words they are class variables, not instance variables. If you change the value of a static variable in a particular object, the value of that variable changes for all instances of that class. Static methods can be referenced with the name of the class rather than the name of a particular object of the class (though that works too). That's how library methods like System.out.println() work out is a static field in the java.lang.System class.
What is the catch or declare rule for method declarations?
If a checked exception may be thrown within the body of a method, the method must either catch the exception or declare it in its throws clause.
Is Empty .java file a valid source file?
Yes, an empty .java file is a perfectly valid source file.
Can a .java file contain more than one java classes?
Yes, a .java file contain more than one java classes, provided at the most one of them is a public class.
Is String a primitive data type in Java?
No String is not a primitive data type in Java, even though it is one of the most extensively used object. Strings in Java are instances of String class defined in java.lang package.
Is main a keyword in Java?
No, main is not a keyword in Java.
Is next a keyword in Java?
No, next is not a keyword.
Is delete a keyword in Java?
No, delete is not a keyword in Java. Java does not make use of explicit destructors the way C++ does.
Is exit a keyword in Java?
No. To exit a program explicitly you use exit method in System object.
What happens if you dont initialize an instance variable of any of the primitive types in Java?
Java by default initializes it to the default value for that primitive type. Thus an int will be initialized to 0, a boolean will be initialized to false.
What will be the initial value of an object reference which is defined as an instance variable?
The object references are all initialized to null in Java. However in order to do anything useful with these references, you must set them to a valid object, else you will get NullPointerExceptions everywhere you try to use such default initialized references.
What are the different scopes for Java variables?

The scope of a Java variable is determined by the context in which the variable is declared. Thus a java variable can have one of the three scopes at any given point in time. 
1. Instance : - These are typical object level variables, they are initialized to default values at the time of creation of object, and remain accessible as long as the object accessible. 
2. Local : - These are the variables that are defined within a method. They remain accessbile only during the course of method excecution. When the method finishes execution, these variables fall out of scope. 
3. Static: - These are the class level variables. They are initialized when the class is loaded in JVM for the first time and remain there as long as the class remains loaded. They are not tied to any particular object instance.

What is the default value of the local variables?
The local variables are not initialized to any default value, neither primitives nor object references. If you try to use these variables without initializing them explicitly, the java compiler will not compile the code. It will complain abt the local varaible not being initilized..

How many objects are created in the following piece of code?
MyClass c1, c2, c3;
c1 = new MyClass ();
c3 = new MyClass ();

Only 2 objects are created, c1 and c3. The reference c2 is only declared and not initialized.

Can a public class MyClass be defined in a source file named YourClass.java?
No the source file name, if it contains a public class, must be the same as the public class name itself with a .java extension.
Can main method be declared final?
Yes, the main method can be declared final, in addition to being public static.
What will be the output of the following statement?

System.out.println ('1' + 3); 
It will print 13.
What will be the default values of all the elements of an array defined as an instance variable? 
If the array is an array of primitive types, then all the elements of the array will be initialized to the default value corresponding to that primitive type. e.g. All the elements of an array of int will be initialized to 0, while that of boolean type will be initialized to false. Whereas if the array is an array of references (of any type), all the elements will be initialized to null.

What is the Collections API?
The Collections API is a set of classes and interfaces that support operations on collections of objects.
What is the List interface?
The List interface provides support for ordered collections of objects.
What is the Vector class?
The Vector class provides the capability to implement a growable array of objects.

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Fill in the blank with the most appropriate preposition in the given sentence.
Let’s sit _________ the shade of this beautiful tree.

Choose the most appropriate determiner for the given sentence.
________of what he said was very sensible.

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Choose the option that substitutes the given phrase appropriately.
A work of art made by carving

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Choose the option that best transforms the sentence into its Indirect form:
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Alternative Phrase

Choose the option that best explains the highlighted expression:
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Choose an appropriate modal for the given sentence:
My doctor said that I_____ stop smoking as one of my lungs got infected.

Choose the appropriate prepositions for the given sentence:
My parents have been married ________ forty-nine years, but you can still see the love ________ their eyes.

Choose the appropriate conjunction for the given sentence:
______ it rains, the college will declare the holiday.

Antonyms

Choose the appropriate antonym for the highlighted word in the given sentence.
The family protracted their visit by several days.

Tenses

Choose the appropriate tenses to fill in the blanks in the given sentence:
Please _________ a noise. Ritu __________ to sleep.

Synonyms

Choose the appropriate synonym for the highlighted word in the given sentence.
Does he really expect us to believe such a flimsy excuse?