Why int[] a = new int[1] instead of just int a?

Question

Is there some hidden meaning in this code which I don\'t see in java? How can it be useful?

int[] a = new int[1];

than just

int         


        

Answer 1

int a;

defines a variable that can hold an int

int[] a;

defines a variable that can hold an array of int

int[] a = new int[1];

does that above but also initializes it by actually creating an array (of size 1 - it can hold 1 int) and defines the variable a to hold that array, but doesn't define what's in the array.

int[] a = new int[1]{1};

does that above but also defines what's in the array: the int 1.

I suppose it does a similar thing, in that space is allocated for 1 int, but the array also defines an array. I suppose you could say these are similar:

int a = 1;
int b = a + 1;
// now b == 2

int[] a = new int[1]{1};
int b = a[0] + 1;   
// now b == 2