Wrapper Classes

Definition

Wrapper classes are classes in Java that provide a way to wrap primitive data types into objects. They allow us to perform operations on primitives as if they were objects.

Related terms

Boxing/Unboxing: Boxing is the process of converting a primitive data type into its corresponding wrapper class object, while unboxing is the reverse process.

Autoboxing/Auto-unboxing: Autoboxing refers to automatic conversion between primitive types and their corresponding wrapper classes, while auto-unboxing refers to automatic conversion from wrapper class objects back to their respective primitive values.

Integer vs int (or other similar pairs): Integer is a wrapper class for int in Java. The main difference is that Integer is an object and can be used in situations where objects are required, while int is a primitive data type and has no methods or properties associated with it.