Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
In programming, converting refers to changing the representation or format of one piece of information into another compatible form. This process allows us to use data in different ways or manipulate it according to our needs.
Parse: The process of analyzing a string representation of data and converting it into its corresponding data type.
Casting: In Java, casting refers to explicitly converting one data type into another, either widening or narrowing the range of values.
Type conversion: A general term that encompasses any operation that changes the data type of a value. It includes both implicit and explicit conversions.