Core Java - Interview Questions and Answers for 'Core Java' | Search Interview Question

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Q71. How is Hashmap internally implemented in Java ?

Core Java

Ans. https://medium.com/javarevisited/internal-working-of-hashmap-in-java-97aeac3c7beb#:~:text=HashMap%20internally%20uses%20HashTable%20implementation,the%20entries%20into%20the%20map.

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Q72. What do you look for when you do code review ?

Core Java

Ans. Modularity - First sign of good code is whether it has been segregated into methods and classes appropriately. I dont mind it in excess because I believe that is forward looking strategy as applications tends to expand and eventually become hard to read.

Self Explanatory - Variables and methods should be named in a way that the code should be self explanatory even without comments. Use of Constant variables to explain use of literal.

Proper Code Reuse - If there is anything being reused , it should be moved to parent classes / methods.

Proper composition calls - Composed hierarchy should not be access in just single line. One or two levels is ok but having multiple levels make it hard to read and debug.

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Q73. Can we have multiple main methods in a single class ?

Core Java

Ans. We can overload the main method by specifying different argument types. For example -

2 main methods with different arguments is perfectly legal

public static void main();
public static void main(String[] args);

The following are not legal as compiler will complain of duplicate methods

public static void main(String[] args);
public static void main(String[] args);

Even The following are not legal as we cannot overload on return types

public static String main(String[] args);
public static void main(String[] args);

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Q74. Why can't we have diamond problem with interfaces ?

Core Java

Ans. Interfaces don't have member elements and method definitions that could cause diamond problem. With Java 8, Interfaces have default method definitions. This could have created diamond problem but Java introduced a compile time check for "duplicate default methods" in case same method is derived from multiple interfaces and no definition is overridden by the class.

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Q75. What are the Wrapper classes available for primitive types ?

Core Java

Ans. boolean - java.lang.Boolean
byte - java.lang.Byte
char - java.lang.Character
double - java.lang.Double
float - java.lang.Float
int - java.lang.Integer
long - java.lang.Long
short - java.lang.Short
void - java.lang.Void

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Q76. Which String class does not override the equals() and hashCode() methods, inheriting them directly from class Object?

Core Java

Ans. java.lang.StringBuffer.

Sample Code for StringBuffer

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Q77. There are two objects a and b with same hashcode. I am inserting these two objects inside a hashmap.

hMap.put(a,a);
hMap.put(b,b);

where a.hashCode()==b.hashCode()

Now tell me how many objects will be there inside the hashmap?

Core Java

Ans. There can be two different elements with the same hashcode. When two elements have the same hashcode then Java uses the equals to further differentation. So there can be one or two objects depending on the content of the objects.

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Frequently asked to fresh graduates and less experienced developers.

Q78. Explain multithreading in Java ?

Core Java

Ans. 1. Multithreading provides better interaction with the user by distribution of task

2. Threads in Java appear to run concurrently, so it provides simulation for simultaneous activities.The processor runs each thread for a short time and switches among the threads to simulate sim-ultaneous execution (context-switching) and it make appears that each thread has its own processor.By using this feature, users can make it appear as if multiple tasks are occurring simultaneously when, in fact, each is running for only a brief time before the context is switched to the next thread.

3. We can do other things while waiting for slow I/O operations.In the java.iopackage, the class InputStreamhas a method, read(), that blocks until a byte is read from the stream or until an IOExceptionis thrown. The thread that executes this method cannot do anything elsewhile awaiting the arrival of another byte on the stream.

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Q79. What are wrapper classes ?

Core Java

Ans. They are wrappers to primitive data types. They allow us to access primitives as objects.

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Very frequently asked. Usually asked in different variants like Diff between StringBuffer , String Builder ; Difference between StringBuilder and String class; Choice between these classes etc.

Q80. What is the difference between StringBuffer and String class ?

Core Java

Ans. A string buffer implements a mutable sequence of characters. A string buffer is like a String, but can be modified. At any point in time it contains some particular sequence of characters, but the length and content of the sequence can be changed through certain method calls.

The String class represents character strings. All string literals in Java programs, such as "abc" are constant and implemented as instances of this class; their values cannot be changed after they are created.

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Q81. How to implement an immutable class ?

Core Java

Ans. We can make a class immutable by

1. Making all methods and variables as private.

2. Setting variables within constructor.

Public Class ImmutableClass{

private int member;
ImmutableClass(int var){
member=var;
}
}

and then we can initialize the object of the class as

ImmutableClass immutableObject = new ImmutableClass(5);

Now all members being private , you cant change the state of the object.

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Q82. Can we access instance variables within static methods ?

Core Java

Ans. Yes.we cannot access them directly but we can access them using object reference.Static methods belong to a class and not objects whereas non static members are tied to an instance. Accessing instance variables without the instance handler would mean an ambiguity regarding which instance the method is referring to and hence its prohibited.

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Q83. Difference between C++ and Java ?

Core Java

Ans. Java does not support pointers.

Java does not support multiple inheritances.

Java does not support destructors but rather adds a finalize() method. Finalize methods are invoked by the garbage collector prior to reclaiming the memory occupied by the object, which has the finalize() method.

Java does not include structures or unions because the traditional data structures are implemented as an object oriented framework.

C++ compiles to machine language , when Java compiles to byte code .

In C++ the programmer needs to worry about freeing the allocated memory , where in Java the Garbage Collector takes care of the the unneeded / unused variables.

Java is platform independent language but c++ is depends upon operating system.

Java uses compiler and interpreter both and in c++ their is only compiler.

C++ supports operator overloading whereas Java doesn't.

Internet support is built-in Java but not in C++. However c++ has support for socket programming which can be used.

Java does not support header file, include library files just like C++ .Java use import to include different Classes and methods.

There is no goto statement in Java.

There is no scope resolution operator :: in Java. It has . using which we can qualify classes with the namespace they came from.

Java is pass by value whereas C++ is both pass by value and pass by reference.

Java Enums are objects instead of int values in C++

C++ programs runs as native executable machine code for the target and hence more near to hardware whereas Java program runs in a virtual machine.

C++ was designed mainly for systems programming, extending the C programming language whereas Java was created initially to support network computing.

C++ allows low-level addressing of data. You can manipulate machine addresses to look at anything you want. Java access is controlled.

C++ has several addressing operators . * & -> where Java has only one: the .

We can create our own package in Java(set of classes) but not in c and c++.

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Q84. What is a stream and what are the types of Streams and classes of the Streams?

Core Java

Ans. A Stream is an abstraction that either produces or consumes information. There are two types of Streams :

Byte Streams: Provide a convenient means for handling input and output of bytes.

Character Streams: Provide a convenient means for handling input & output of characters.

Byte Streams classes: Are defined by using two abstract classes, namely InputStream and OutputStream.

Character Streams classes: Are defined by using two abstract classes, namely Reader and Writer.

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Q85. what is covariant return type?

Core Java

Ans. co-variant return type states that return type of overriding method can be subtype of the return type declared in method of superclass. it has been introduced since jdk 1.5

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Q86. what is fail fast and Fail Safe in collections?

Core Java

Ans. Iterators in java are used to iterate over the Collection objects.

Fail-Fast iterators immediately throw ConcurrentModificationException if there is any addition, removal or updation of any element.

Fail-Safe iterators don't throw any exception if a collection is structurally modified while iterating over it. This is because, they operate on the clone of the collection and not on the original collection.

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Q87. What is a ConcurrentHashMap ?

Core Java

Ans. ConcurrentHashMap is a hashMap that allows concurrent modifications from multiple threads as there can be multiple locks on the same hashmap.

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Q88. Difference between Predicate, Supplier and Consumer ?

Core Java

Ans. Predicate represents an anonymous function that accepts one argument and produces a result.

Supplier represents an anonymous function that accepts no argument and produces a result.

Consumer represents an anonymous function that accepts an argument and produces no result.

Sample Code for Predicate

Sample Code for Supplier

Sample Code for Consumer

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Q89. Why do we need Thread class even in case we execute thread using runnable interface ?

Core Java

Ans. Thread class holds the definition of start method ( This is the method that starts execution of new thread and then calls run method within the scope of new thread ). Interfaces don't hold any definition and so does runnable. So it makes it necessary the usage of Thread class , whatever implementation you choose.

When your class extends the thread class, it carries the definition of start method from parent Thread class onto itself and hence new yourClass.start() helps starting a new thread and then executing run method in that new thread scope.

When you implement runnable interface , you are just making it sure to the JVM that you have implemented the required method ( run() ) which the Thread start method will look for upon executing start method.

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Q90. Collections.sort can only be performed on ..

a. Set
b. List
c. Map
d. Any Collection implementation

Core Java

Ans. List

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Q91. Which of the following Java feature promotes access protection or Hiding ?

a. Inheritance
b. Encapsulation
c. Abstraction
d. Composition

Core Java

Ans. Encapsulation

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Q92. Enums cannot be declared ..

a. private
b. public
c. static
d. final

Core Java

Ans. final

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Q93. Difference between parameters and arguments ?

Core Java

Ans. Parameters are the variables that the method is expected to receive along with the method call. Arguments are the values which are passed on while calling the methods.

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Q94. Why Java is not considered pure OOP's language ?

Core Java

Ans. There are 2 reasons for it.

1. Usage of Primitive types - Though Java provides classes for the primitive data types but as the usage of primitives is permissible, its considered unpure OOP's language.

2. Usage of Static members - Static members belong to the class and not objects and hence not considered fit for pure OOP's programming.

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Q95. What are constructors and Destructors in Java ?

Core Java

Ans. Constructors are used for initializing the object state once it is initialized and memory has been reserved for it.

Destructor is used to de-allocate memory allocated by objects.

There are no destructors in Java. Alternatively, Java provides Automatic garbage collection i.e automatically releasing the un-referenced memory.

Sample Code for constructor

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Q96. Why HashTable has been deprecated ?

Core Java

Ans. HashTable has been deprecated. As an alternative, ConcurrentHashMap has been provided. It uses multiple buckets to store data and hence much better performance than HashTable. Moreover, there is already a raw type HashMap. The only difference between the HashTable and HashMap is that Hashtable is synchronized whereas HashMap is not. Most of the synchronized collections have been deprecated and their raw alternative have been presented as preferred.Synchronization has a cost. Using synchronized collection in places where there is no need of it leads to useless utilization of resources. As these collections are rarely used in a static context or shared among threads, Java might have thought it better to just provide the raw collection and let developers implement synchronization if he feels the need to do so. HashMap is now presented as the default and the preferred way of using Map with read optimized hashing, and ConcurrentHashMap has been provided for synchronized access which provides better performance than HashTable. Because of this, Java thought it right to deprecate the use of HashTable.'

Synchronization has a cost. Using synchronized collection at a place where there is hardly any need of it would means useless utilization of resources. As these collections are rarely used in static context or shared among threads, Java might have thought it better to just provide the raw collection and let developer implement synchronization if he feels the need to do so.

As HashMap has been presented as default and preferred way of using Map with read optimized hashing, and ConcurrentHashMap has been provided for synchronized access which provides better performance than HashTable, Java thought it right to deprecate the use of HashTable.

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Q97. Difference beween HashSet and TreeSet ?

Core Java

Ans. 1. HashSet doesnt maintain its elements in any specific order and is all random whereas TreeSet maintains elements in natural order 9 order defined by the equals method of TreeSet element type )

2. TreeSet doesnt allow null elements whereas HashMap does.

3. As TreeSet orders elements and is hence insertion is comparatively slower.

4. HashSet performs basic operations like add(), remove(), contains(), size() etc. in a constant size time. A TreeSet performs these operations at the order of log(n) time.

5. HashMap in Java internally backs a HashSet. A NavigableMap backs a TreeSet internally.

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Q98. Can you write a "Hello World" program without using any ";" within it?

Core Java

Ans. Yes, That is possible

class A {
public static void main(String args[]){
if(System.out.printf("Hello World")==null){}
}
}

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Q99. Why two types of memory - stack and heap are required by Java ?

Core Java

Ans. Because of the life cycle requirement for different type of values in java.

variables initialized and used in functions needs to be destructed with the execution of function and hence kept in stack. Same is applicable for the object references initialized within the method. If objects would have been created in stack, they wouldnt have been passed around across methods and hence they are created on heap.

So anything that is required beyond the scope of a method or function is kept on heap which is usually garbage collected by Java.

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Q100. Which elements of a class are ignored during serialization ?

Core Java

Ans. 1. Objects are serialized and not classes and hence Static variables are ignored.

2. Transient is an explicit declaration to ignore the variable during serialization and hence transient instance variables are ignored too.

3. Base class instance variables if the base class hasn't been declared serializable.

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