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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-05-29T18:58:08+00:00

Why does this first if compile well and the second fail? if(proceed) {int i;}

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Why does this first if compile well and the second fail?

if(proceed) {int i;} // This compiles fine.
if(proceed) int i;// This gives an error. (Syntax error on token ")", { expected after this token)
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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    Because the language spec says so:

    http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-6.html

    A declaration introduces an entity into a program and includes an identifier (§3.8) that can be used in a name to refer to this entity. A declared entity is one of the following:
    …
    A local variable, one of the following:
    * A local variable declared in a block (§14.4)
    * A local variable declared in a for statement (§14.14)

    Your first example is declaring i inside a block (denoted by curly braces). Your second isn’t, nor is it a for statement.

    Edited to add: Which just makes commons sense. If it were allowed, it would be useless. It would immediately fall out of scope.

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