Question

What is a pointer and does Java support pointers?

1) Yes, a pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of an object or function and Java supports pointers.
2) No, a pointer is not supported in Java.

Answer 1

Pointers are variables that store memory addresses. Java does not support pointers, but uses references instead.

Step-by-step explanation:

A pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of an object or function. It is used to access and manipulate data stored in memory. However, Java does not support pointers. Instead, Java uses references, which are similar to pointers but have some important differences.

In Java, a reference is a variable that refers to an object, rather than directly pointing to its memory address. References allow objects to be passed around and manipulated in a safe and controlled manner. Java handles memory management automatically with its garbage collector, which frees up memory when objects are no longer referenced.

For example, in Java, if you declare an object of a class, you are actually creating a reference to that object. You can perform operations on the object using the reference, but you cannot directly access its memory address like you would with a pointer in other programming languages.