Java Cast and Conversions

Last modified on August 1st, 2014 by Joe.

In this Java fundamentals tutorial let us see about casting in Java. This tutorial is having two parts, the first one is for casting on reference types and the second is for primitives cast. In each part let us see about the different types of cast available and how we can use them in Java.

First we have to fix the terminologies. Java language specification (SE7-JLS-5.0) uses the word ‘conversion’ as a superset for anything and everything related to transforming objects. The word ‘cast’ is used at places where the developer needs to explicitly tell the compiler that the instance value needs to be converted. Attaching the cast-operator (a type between parentheses), before an object is referred as cast.

type-safety in Java

Type-safety is the mechanism provided in a programming language to ensure that there are no issues because of type mismatch between a variable and value attempted to store in it. In Java to ensure type-safety, during compile time the compiler will check for type information between variables using the static type information available. Then during runtime the values are checked for compatibility before storing in a variable.

Conversion

As per Java language specification (SE7-JLS-5.0) conversions are broadly categorized as,

Identity Conversion

This is given for theoretical completeness. Assigning two instance of same type is identity conversion.

	Integer i1;
	Integer i2 = new Integer(2);

	i1 = i2; //identity conversion
	// cast not required, but done compiler will not complain
	i1 = (Integer) i2;

Primitive Conversions and Cast in Java

These are the conversions between the primitives.

Widening Primitive Conversion

“A widening primitive conversion does not lose information about the overall magnitude of a numeric value.” There is no cast required and will never result in a runtime exception. Following are the possible widening conversions,

class WideningConversion {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
	int i = 123456789;
	float f = i;
    }
}

Narrowing Primitive Conversion

“A narrowing primitive conversion may lose information about the overall magnitude of a numeric value and may also lose precision and range.” Cast required between types. Overflow and underflow may happen but a runtime exception will never happen. Following are the possible narrowing conversions,

package com.javapapers.java;

public class NarrowingPrimitiveConversion {
	public static void main(String[] args) {

	float f = Float.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
	long l = (long) f;
	int i = (int) f;

	System.out.println("long: " + l + " int: " + i);

	int j = 255;
	byte b = (byte) j;

	// size is too large and resulted in negative
	System.out.println(b);
  }
}

Reference Conversions and Cast in Java

In this section let us see about categories, widening reference conversion and narrowing reference conversion. With respect to classes and objects, there are four categories to understand for casting.

public class JavaCast {
    public static void main(String... args) {
        
        Integer integer = new Integer(10);
        Float floatt = new Float(20F);

        //this is not a cast - error
        // integer = floatt; //compiler error - incompatible types
        // integer = (Integer) floatt;//compiler error - inconvertible types
        
        //upcast - widening conversion
        Object obj = integer; //no explicit cast required
        System.out.println(obj);

        //downcast - narrowing conversion
        Integer in = (Integer)obj;//only subtype
        System.out.println(in);

        //downcast - Object to String
        //runtime issue - instance Object is not of String
        String str = (String)obj;//ClassCastException
    }
}

  1. Assigning a Float object to Integer directly has got nothing to do with casting and it will throw a compile error as incompatible type. Casting a Float into Integer is not proper and will get compile error as inconvertible types. Casting in Java is done within same hierarchy of types, that is between inherited types.
  2. upcast – Casting a subtype object into a supertype and this is called upcast. In Java, we need not add an explicit cast and you can assign the object directly. Compiler will understand and cast the value to supertype. By doing this, we are lifting an object to a generic level. If we prefer, we can add an explicit cast and no issues.
  3. downcast – Casting a supertype to a subtype is called downcast. This is the mostly done cast. By doing this we are telling the compiler that the value stored in the base object is of a super type. Then we are asking the runtime to assign the value. Because of downcast we get access to methods of the subtype on that object.
  4. ClassCastExcpetion – We get ClassCastException in a downcast. In principle, we guarantee the compiler that the instance value of is subtype and ask it to cast. But during runtime, because of unforeseen circumstances, the value is not of expected subtype. In such cases, we get ClassCastException.

Boxing and Unboxing Conversions

Converting from a primitive type to its corresponding reference type is boxing conversion and vice versa is unboxing conversion.

Examples are,

	int i = 10;
	Integer iObj = new Integer(100);

	iObj = i;//boxing conversion
	i = iObj;//unboxing conversion


String Conversion

String conversion applies only to the ‘+’ operator, when one operand is a String and another is a primitive type. In such a case, primitive type is converted to its corresponding reference type and then it is converted using the toString() method. No cast is required.

	int i = 10;
	String str1 = "";

	String str2 = str1 + i; //string conversion

Unchecked and Capture Conversion will be discussed in the next tutorial as part of the generics series.

Comments on "Java Cast and Conversions"

  1. Anuj says:

    Good article. It gives a clear view of upcasting and downcasting.

  2. Joe says:

    Thanks Anuj.

  3. Anonymous says:

    very nice explanation….

  4. vasu says:

    Thank you good stuff….

  5. Reddisekhar says:

    Nice picture for Conversions

  6. Neelofar says:

    A very basic concept, explained in really good manner. Thanks

  7. Joe says:

    Thanks Neelofar.

  8. […] diving into detail it is better for you to go through the fundamentals of cast in Java. This is tutorial is a part of multi-part series on Java generics. Hope you are comfortable on Java […]

  9. Sajal Saxena says:

    What is Autoboxing?

  10. Jalaram says:

    Hi Jeo,

    Please i’m getting confuse in one thing
    if i can do Widening Primitive Conversion like
    int i = 123456789;
    float f = i;

    why can’t i do this with Reference type like
    Integer integer = new Integer(10);
    Float floatt = new Float(20F);

    integer = floatt; //compiler error – incompatible types
    integer = (Integer) floatt;//compiler error – inconvertible types
    ?

  11. Pratik says:

    didn’t know there were so many variations to conversion.

    Thanks Joe

  12. Joe says:

    Cool right :-)

  13. Joe says:

    The automatic conversion done by the Java compiler from a primitive type to its corresponding Java wrapper class type is called autoboxing in Java.

    Example: converting int to Integer.

    Reverse of the above is called Unboxing.

  14. Joe says:

    Welcome Pratik.

  15. Sajeev says:

    Very good article.

    Thanks for your passion..

  16. Jefferson Diefenbach says:

    Awesome article! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

  17. Joe says:

    Thanks Jefferson.

  18. swarup says:

    Nice Article. Bookmarked it.

  19. Rakesh says:

    For Reference Conversions and Cast in Java :
    Point no. 1 says we can type cast only those which falls in same hierarchy ,thats why float to integer was giving complie time error . My Doubt is why not string conversion in end gave classCastException instead of compile time error as they would belong to different hierarchy.

  20. Aykut Kilic says:

    Great article.

    Could you please also add code examples for Unchecked/Capture and Value-Set conversions?
    Regards.

  21. Aykut Kilic says:

    Ignore my comment. Now I’ve read the last line of the article. Thanks.

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