There are some words that you cannot use as object or variable names in a Java program. These words are known as “reserved” words; they are keywords that are already used by the syntax of the Java programming language.
For example, if you try and create a new class and name it using a reserved word:
// you can't use finally as it's a reserved word!It will not compile, instead you will get the following error:
class finally {
public static void main(String[] args) {
//class code..
}
}
<identifier> expected
The table below lists all the words that are reserved:
| abstract | assert | boolean | break | byte | case |
| catch | char | class | const* | continue | default |
| double | do | else | enum | extends | false |
| final | finally | float | for | goto* | if |
| implements | import | instanceof | int | interface | long |
| native | new | null | package | private | protected |
| public | return | short | static | strictfp | super |
| switch | synchronized | this | throw | throws | transient |
| true | try | void | volatile | while |
*Even though goto and const are no longer used in the Java programming language, they still cannot be used.
