In Java, is a char[] an object?

Question

I'm new to Java but if I understand correctly, a char is a primitive.

Doing char temp and temp.hashCode() won't compile but doing a char[] temp2 = new char[2] and temp2.hashCode() will compile and execute.

Does this mean somehow a char[] is an object???

Answer 1

a char is a primitive, but an array of type char is an object

one way to tell is by dynamically instantiating it:

final Object charArray = Array.newInstance(Character.TYPE, 5);
System.out.println(charArray.getClass().getComponentType());

Output:

char

(Character.TYPE is a reference to the primitive class char. Another way to access that class is through char.class)