What is the difference between i++ & ++i in a for loop? [duplicate]

Question

They both increment the number. ++i is equivalent to i = i + 1.

i++ and ++i are very similar but not exactly the same. Both increment the number, but ++i increments the number before the current expression is evaluted, whereas i++ increments the number after the expression is evaluated.

int i = 3;
int a = i++; // a = 3, i = 4
int b = ++a; // b = 4, a = 4

Here's a sample class:

public class Increment
{
    public static void main(String [] args)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < args.length; ++i)
        {
            System.out.println(args[i]);
        }
    }
}

If I disassemble this class using javap.exe I get this:

Compiled from "Increment.java"
public class Increment extends java.lang.Object{
public Increment();
  Code:
   0:   aload_0
   1:   invokespecial   #1; //Method java/lang/Object."<init>":()V
   4:   return

public static void main(java.lang.String[]);
  Code:
   0:   iconst_0
   1:   istore_1
   2:   iload_1
   3:   aload_0
   4:   arraylength
   5:   if_icmpge       23
   8:   getstatic       #2; //Field java/lang/System.out:Ljava/io/PrintStream;
   11:  aload_0
   12:  iload_1
   13:  aaload
   14:  invokevirtual   #3; //Method java/io/PrintStream.println:(Ljava/lang/String;)V
   17:  iinc    1, 1
   20:  goto    2
   23:  return

}

If I change the loop so it uses i++ and disassemble again I get this:

Compiled from "Increment.java"
public class Increment extends java.lang.Object{
public Increment();
  Code:
   0:   aload_0
   1:   invokespecial   #1; //Method java/lang/Object."<init>":()V
   4:   return

public static void main(java.lang.String[]);
  Code:
   0:   iconst_0
   1:   istore_1
   2:   iload_1
   3:   aload_0
   4:   arraylength
   5:   if_icmpge       23
   8:   getstatic       #2; //Field java/lang/System.out:Ljava/io/PrintStream;
   11:  aload_0
   12:  iload_1
   13:  aaload
   14:  invokevirtual   #3; //Method java/io/PrintStream.println:(Ljava/lang/String;)V
   17:  iinc    1, 1
   20:  goto    2
   23:  return

}

When I compare the two, TextPad tells me that the two are identical.

What this says is that from the point of view of the generated byte code there's no difference in a loop. In other contexts there is a difference between ++i and i++, but not for loops.

Both of them increase the variable i by one. It's like saying i = i + 1. The difference is subtle. If you're using it in a loop like this, there's no difference:

for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
}

for (int i = 0; i < 100; ++i) {
}

If you want to know the difference, look at this example:

int a = 0;
int b = a++; // b = 0; a = 1

a = 0;
b = ++a: // b = 1; a = 1

The idea is that ++a increments a and returns that value, while a++ returns a's value and then increments a.

The way for loop is processed is as follows

1 First, initialization is performed (i=0)

2 the check is performed (i < n)

3 the code in the loop is executed.

4 the value is incremented

5 Repeat steps 2 - 4

This is the reason why, there is no difference between i++ and ++i in the for loop which has been used.