byte keyword

Description
The byte numeric type represents an 8-bit signed two's-complement integer.  The default value of a byte instance variable, class variable, and array component  is zero, that is, 0. The value of byte is an integer from -128 to 127 inclusive.

Examples
The following examples show legal and illegal uses of the byte type.

// LEGAL.  The value is in the correct range.
byte aByteVariable = 100;

// ILLEGAL.  The value must be from -128 to 127.
byte anotherByteVariable = 500; 

ngrelr.gif (548 bytes)
Java types

Source: The Java Language Specification. Copyright (C) 1996 Sun Microsystems, Inc.