Java random numbers (how to create)

Java random numbers FAQ: How do I create random numbers in Java?

To create random numbers in a Java program, use the java.util.Random class.

As a simple example, this code generates a random number between 0 and 9:

import java.util.Random;

Random random = new Random();
int randomInt = random.nextInt(10);

The 10 inside the nextInt method tells nextInt to return a value between 0 (inclusive) and 10 (exclusive), with the result being that the random number you get back will be in the range 0 to 9.

Here’s a Java method that encapsulates how this works:

/**
 * Returns a value between 0 (inclusive) and the value you supply (exclusive).
 * So supplying `10` will result in a number between 0 and 9.
 */
private int getRandomInt(int ceilingExclusive) {
    Random random = new Random();
    return random.nextInt(ceilingExclusive);
}

If all you needed to see was how to generate a random integer, I hope that example helps.

Example Java Random number class

For a more complicated demonstration, here’s an example Java class named JavaRandomTests that generates ten random integers whose values range from 0 to 99:

  import java.util.Random;

  public class JavaRandomTests
  {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
      Random random = new Random();
      for ( int i=0; i<10; i++ )
      {
        int randomInt = random.nextInt(100);
        System.out.println( "randomInt = " + randomInt );
      }
    }
  }

Second Java Random FAQ

Java random question #2: Can I generate other things besides Java int values using this Random class?

Yes, the Java Random class has other methods like these:

  nextBoolean()
  nextDouble()
  nextFloat()
  nextLong()

and more, so you can create other random objects in your Java code.

Summary

I hope these “Java random” examples and source code have been helpful. As you can see, it’s fairly easy to create random numbers in Java.