Difference Between Print and Println

Difference Between Print and Println

English is a confusing language. There are various rules and exemptions, and these rules change over time, making it difficult for everyone to keep up. The words in programming languages are even more complicated. Terms in Java, C++ or HTML represent various commands or rules, and with the different programming languages that exist, it is easy to get confused as to which is which. An example of programming words that are often swapped is print and printIn. How can a difference of two letters make them so different?

What is the difference between print and println? To help the programmers and programming enthusiasts understand the difference between print and println and the difference between print and println in Java, this article will discuss the Java difference between print and printIn.

We hope that at the end of this article you will be able to explain how these words are used properly in coding and the difference between print and println Java. Before explaining the distinction between the two terms, each of them will first be defined.

Definition of Print

The definition of print goes back to ancient Latin. The word print is derived from the Latin word premere, which means “to press”. The word was developed in Old French as preindre, then preinte, until it became “print” in Middle English. In modern English, the word print can be used as a noun or a verb.

As a noun, it refers to the appearance of a text, image, or mark on a piece of paper or surface. As a verb, it means to produce text, images or a publication in large quantities. It also means to write legibly without connecting the letters (as in, not cursive).

Over time, the definition of print has also changed. Whereas it used to represent physical and tangible objects, its definition has been expanded and transformed to represent an electronic copy or digital text produced using a computer or mobile device.

What does this have to do with println? Well, in addition to the conventional definition, the word “print” is also used as a method in Java. Its main function is to trigger the appearance of a string (or text).

Definition of Println

The definition of println can be explained by its type of code and the way the letters are typed in Java programming. In Java, println is classified as a method, and it is used to display a string of characters. The difference with the “print” method is that it displays the string and transfers the cursor to a new line. This way, texts are not displayed on a horizontal line.

In order to code methods like this correctly, the first letter of the first word must be typed in lower case and the first letter of the inner word must be typed in upper case. It is also necessary to use verbs. In printIn, “print” is a verb, with p in lower case. The inner word, in, has its first letter in uppercase. If this rule is not respected, the code will not run correctly.

Print vs Println Comparison Table

To better distinguish them from each other, here is a comparison of the two methods in Java.

Basis of ComparsionPrintPrintln
Programming languageJavaJava
Code identifierMethodMethod
Character Length46
ExecutionDisplays string in the same lineDisplays string, and then, transfers the cursor to a new line

Conclusion of the Main Difference Between Print vs Println

Java is a useful programming language, and it is much simpler than its brother, C++. Its codes can be identified as package, class, interface, method, variable and constant. print and println are both considered methods. Their key difference lies in the way they display strings. If the print method is coded, the strings will be displayed on the same horizontal line.

If println is used, the cursor is moved to a new line after the text has been displayed. To correctly determine whether to use print vs printIn, t is important to determine the number of lines to be displayed and the appearance of the string you want. It will also be useful to test the code from time to time to ensure that it is executed as you see fit. Java can be confusing, but with practice and research, it is fairly easy to understand and master.