What is Wrapper Class In Java?

Introduction

We learned that java is object oriented language that means java programming is all about objects. Because of primitive data type, we can’t say java is pure object oriented language. Primitive data type is not an object because it is not belongs to any class it is just a normal variable. Because of the wrapper class we can say Java is 100% object oriented language. Let’s discuss here how we can achieve java is a pure object oriented programming by using wrapper class.

What is Wrapper class?

Wrapper class is class its object contains primitive data type. Wrapper class is used to converts primitive data type into corresponding wrapper class objects.

Primitive	Wrapper class
boolean	Boolean
char	Character
byte	Byte
short	Short
int	Integer
long	Long
float	Float
double	Double

Why wrapper class is required?

• Whenever we work with collection API to provide type safety generics are used. Wrapper classes are used as generics in collections in java. Generics takes only objects but not primitive.

ArrayList<Integer> Al= new ArrayList<>();

Al.add(10);

Al.add(20);

Al.add(“Protech”); //compile error

HashMap<Integer, String> hmObj = new HashMap<Integer, String>();

Here we are restricting that HashMap key should be Interger type and value should be String type.

• Whenever we are fetching data from UI, possibility that value might null. In this scenario we can’t work with primitive data type as primitive variable does not hold null value. Here best to go for wrapper class object as it hold null value too.

What is boxing and unboxing?

Conversion of primitive data type into object is called Boxing. Automatic conversion of primitive data type into object is called Autoboxing. Similarly, conversion of object into primitive data type is called unboxing. Automatic conversion of object into primitive data type is called Autounboxing.

Example1: Boxing and Unboxing

public class WrapperClassSession {
	//Boxing and Autoboxing
public static void main(String[] args) {
	
	int number = 100; 							// Initialization of primitive data type
	Integer value1 = new Integer(number); 		// Initialization of wrapper class object
	Integer value2 = new Integer(number); 		// Initialization of wrapper class object
	Integer value3 = Integer.valueOf(number);	// Boxing		
	Integer value4 = 20; //Auto boxing
	
	System.out.println(number);
	System.out.println(value1);
	System.out.println(value2);
	System.out.println(value3);
	System.out.println(value4);	
}
}


/*
 * Output:
	100
	100
	100
	100
	20
	
	*/

Example2: Unboxing and Autounboxing

public class WrapperClassSession {
	
	//Unboxing and AutoUnboxing
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		
		Integer value1 = new Integer(20); 	// Initialization of wrapper class object
		int value2 = value1.intValue();		// Unboxing		
		int value3 = value1; //Auto unboxing, here compiler will write value1.intValue() internally

		System.out.println(value1);
		System.out.println(value2);
		System.out.println(value3);
	}
}

/*
 * Output:
	20
	20
	20	
	*/