Escape Characters | Java Tutorial

Try running the code given below in your Java compiler.

public class string {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("He said, "I believe that the Earth is Flat".");
    }
}

As we can see, the code gives an error. This is because the compiler assumes that the string ends after the 2nd quotation mark.

This can be solved by using \ (backslash). Backslash acts as an escape character allowing us to use quotation marks in strings.

Example:

public class string {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("He said, \"I believe that the Earth is Flat\".");
        System.out.println("she said, \'But the Earth is spherical\'.");
    }
}

Output:

He said, "I believe that the Earth is Flat".
she said, 'But the Earth is spherical'.

Similarly, to use a backslash in the string, we must escape it with another backslash.

Example:

public class string {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("The path is D:\\Docs\\Java\\Strings");
    }
}

Output:

The path is D:\Docs\Java\Strings

We also have an escape character for printing on a new line (\n), inserting a tab (\t), backspacing (\b), etc.

Example:

public class string {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("My name is Anthony. \nI'm an Artist.");
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println("Age:\t18");
        System.out.println("Addresss\b: Washington DC");
    }
}

Output:

My name is Anthony. 
I'm an Artist.

Age:    18
Address: Washington DC