How to Generate Random Number in Java

In Java programming, we often required to generate random numbers while we develop applications. Many applications have the feature to generate numbers randomly, such as to verify the user many applications use the OTP. The best example of random numbers is dice. Because when we throw it, we get a random number between 1 to 6.

In this section, we will learn what is a random number and how to generate random numbers in Java.

Random Number

Random numbers are the numbers that use a large set of numbers and selects a number using the mathematical algorithm. It satisfies the following two conditions:

The generated values uniformly distributed over a definite interval.
It is impossible to guess the future value based on current and past values.

Generating Random Number in Java

In Java, there is three-way to generate random numbers using the method and classes.

Using the random() Method
Using the Random Class
Using the ThreadLocalRandom Class
Using the ints() Method (in Java 8)

Using the Math.random() Method

The Java Math class has many methods for different mathematical operations. One of them is the random() method. It is a static method of the Math class. We can invoke it directly. It generates only double type random number greater than or equal to 0.0 and less than 1.0. Before using the random() method, we must import the java.lang.Math class.

Syntax:

It does not accept any parameter. It returns a pseudorandom double that is greater than or equal to 0.0 and less than 1.0.

Let’s create a program that generates random numbers using the random() method.

RandomNumberExample1.java

  import java.lang.Math;   public class RandomNumberExample1  {   public static void main(String args[])   {   // Generating random numbers  System.out.println(“1st Random Number: ” + Math.random());   System.out.println(“2nd Random Number: ” + Math.random());  System.out.println(“3rd Random Number: ” + Math.random());   System.out.println(“4th Random Number: ” + Math.random());   }   }  

Output:

1st Random Number: 0.17434160924512265  2nd Random Number: 0.4297410090709448  3rd Random Number: 0.4828656381344487  4th Random Number: 0.13267917059488898

Remember: Every time we get a different output when we execute the program. Your output may differ from the output shown above.

We can also use the following formula if we want to a generate random number between a specified range.

In the above formula, the min value is inclusive while the max value is exclusive.

Let’s create a program that generates random numbers between 200 to 400.

RandomNumberExample2.java

  public class RandomNumberExample2  {  public static void main( String args[] )   {  int min = 200;  int max = 400;  //Generate random double value from 200 to 400   System.out.println(“Random value of type double between “+min+” to “+max+ “:”);  double a = Math.random()*(max-min+1)+min;   System.out.println(a);  //Generate random int value from 200 to 400   System.out.println(“Random value of type int between “+min+” to “+max+ “:”);  int b = (int)(Math.random()*(max-min+1)+min);  System.out.println(b);  }  }  

Output 1:

Random value of type double between 200 to 400:  233.88329802655377  Random value of type int between 200 to 400:  329

Output 2:

Random value of type double between 200 to 400:  254.8419979875385  Random value of type int between 200 to 400:  284

Using the Random Class

Another way to generate a random number is to use the Java Random class of the java.util package. It generates a stream of pseudorandom numbers. We can generate a random number of any data type, such as integer, float, double, Boolean, long. If you are going to use this class to generate random numbers, follow the steps given below:

First, import the class java.lang.Random.
Create an object of the Random class.
Invoke any of the following methods:
nextInt(int bound)
nextInt()
nextFloat()
nextDouble()
nextLong()
nextBoolean()

All the above methods return the next pseudorandom, homogeneously distributed value (corresponding method) from this random number generator’s sequence. The nextDouble() and nextFloat() method generates random value between 0.0 and 1.0.

The nextInt(int bound) method accepts a parameter bound (upper) that must be positive. It generates a random number in the range 0 to bound-1.

Let’s create a program that generates random numbers using the Random class.

RandomNumberExample3.java

  import java.util.Random;   public class RandomNumberExample3  {   public static void main(String args[])   {   // creating an object of Random class   Random random = new Random();   // Generates random integers 0 to 49  int x = random.nextInt(50);   // Generates random integers 0 to 999  int y = random.nextInt(1000);   // Prints random integer values  System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Integers Values”);  System.out.println(x);   System.out.println(y);   // Generates Random doubles values  double a = random.nextDouble();   double b = random.nextDouble();   // Prints random double values  System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Double Values”);  System.out.println(a);   System.out.println(b);    // Generates Random float values  float f=random.nextFloat();  float i=random.nextFloat();  // Prints random float values  System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Float Values”);  System.out.println(f);   System.out.println(i);   // Generates Random Long values  long p = random.nextLong();   long q = random.nextLong();   // Prints random long values  System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Long Values”);  System.out.println(p);   System.out.println(q);    // Generates Random boolean values  boolean m=random.nextBoolean();  boolean n=random.nextBoolean();  // Prints random boolean values  System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Boolean Values”);  System.out.println(m);   System.out.println(n);   }   }  

Output:

Randomly Generated Integers Values  23  767  Randomly Generated Double Values  0.37823814494212016  0.998058172671956  Randomly Generated Float Values  0.87804186  0.93880254  Randomly Generated Long Values  -4974823544291679198  3650240138416076693  Randomly Generated Boolean Values  false  true

Using the ThreadLocalRandom Class

The ThreadLocalRandom class is defined in java.util.concurrent package. It is initialized with an internally generated seed, the same as the random generator of the Math class. It cannot be modified. We can use this class in the following way:

Where X is Int, Long, etc.

Note: It is impossible to share a ThreadLocalRandom with multiple threads accidentally.

We can generate a random number of any data type, such as integer, float, double, Boolean, long. If you are going to use this class to generate random numbers, follow the steps given below:

First, import the class by using java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom.
Invoke the corresponding method for which you want to generate numbers randomly.
nextInt()
nextDouble()
nextLong()
nextFloat()
nextBoolean()

All the above methods override the corresponding method of the Random class and return the corresponding value.

nextInt(int bound)
nextDouble(int bound)
nextLong(int bound)

The above methods parse a parameter bound (upper) that must be positive. It returns corresponding randomly generated value between 0 (inclusive) and the specified bound (exclusive). It throws IllegalArgumentExcetion if the bound is negative.

nextInt(int origin, int bound)
nextDouble(int origin, int bound)
nextLong(int origin, int bound)

The above methods parse two parameters origin and bound. The origin specifies the least value returned and the bound specifies the upper bound. It returns corresponding randomly generated value between the specified origin (inclusive) and bound (exclusive). Also, throws IllegalArgumentExcetion if the origin is greater than or equal to bound.

Let’s create a program that generates random numbers using the ThreadLocalRandom class.

RandomNumberExample4.java

  import java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom;   public class RandomNumberExample4  {   public static void main(String args[])   {   // Generate random integers between 0 to 999   int a = ThreadLocalRandom.current().nextInt();   int b = ThreadLocalRandom.current().nextInt();   // Print random integer values  System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Integer Values:”);  System.out.println(a);   System.out.println(b);   // Generate Random double values  double c = ThreadLocalRandom.current().nextDouble();   double d = ThreadLocalRandom.current().nextDouble();   // Print random doubles   System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Double Values:”);  System.out.println(c);   System.out.println(d);   // Generate random boolean values  boolean e = ThreadLocalRandom.current().nextBoolean();   boolean f = ThreadLocalRandom.current().nextBoolean();   // Print random Booleans   System.out.println(“Randomly Generated Boolean Values:”);  System.out.println(e);   System.out.println(f);   }   }  

Output 1:

Randomly Generated Integer Values:  348534891  -1887936727  Randomly Generated Double Values:  0.15644440033119833  0.5242730752133399  Randomly Generated Boolean Values:  true  true

Output 2:

Output 2:  Randomly Generated Integer Values:  402755574  295398333  Randomly Generated Double Values:  0.4856461791062565  0.5148677091077654  Randomly Generated Boolean Values:  false  true

Similarly, we can use other methods of ThreadLocalRandomclass.

Random Number Generation in Java 8

In Java 8, a new method ints() has been added to the Random class. We must import the java.util.Random before using the method.

ints():

The pseudorandom int values generated the same as calling the nextInt() method. It returns an unlimited stream of pseudorandom int values.

ints(long streamSize):

The method parses a parameter streamSize of type long. It specifies the number of values to be generated. The pseudorandom int values generated the same as calling the nextInt() method. It also returns a stream of randomly generated int values. It throws IllegalArgumentException if the stream size is less than zero.

ints(long streamSize, int randomNumberOrigin, int randomNumberBound):

Parameters:

streamSize:Number of values to generate.
randomNumberOrigin:Origin of each random value
randomNumberBound:Bound of each random value

It returns a stream of pseudorandom int values with the specified origin and bound. It throws IllegalArgumentException if:

stramSize < 0
origin > = bound

Parameters:

randomNumberOrigin: Origin of each random value

randomNumberBound: Bound of each random value

It returns an unlimited stream of pseudorandom int values with the specified origin and bound. It throws IllegalArgumentException if the origin is greater than or equal to bound.

Similarly, we can also generate the stream of long and double types by using the longs() and doubles() method, respectively.

Let’s create a program that generates a stream of integers using the ints() method of the Random class.

RandomNumberExample5.java

  import java.util.Random;   public class RandomNumberExample5   {   public static void main(String[] args)   {   randomInts(5);  randomInts(9, 50, 90);  //getStreamOfRandomInts(30, 50);  }   //method that generates a stream of integers having size 5  public static void randomInts(int num)   {  Random random = new Random();  random.ints(num).forEach(System.out::println);  }  //method that generates a stream of 9 integers between 50 to 90  public static void randomInts(int num, int origin, int bound)   {  Random random1 = new Random();  random1.ints(num, origin, bound).forEach(System.out::println);  }  }  

Output 1:

727900357  -1073118456  306279822  370327182  1366265119  65  75  75  88  76  75  56  86  85

Output 2:

-1338107947  -1698771421  594232770  -1224937976  -1625069815  56  69  67  87  64  52  72  75  76

Next TopicJava Tutorial

How to Generate Random Number in Java

How to Generate Random Number in Java

Random Number

Generating Random Number in Java

Using the Math.random() Method

Using the Random Class

Using the ThreadLocalRandom Class

Note: It is impossible to share a ThreadLocalRandom with multiple threads accidentally.

Random Number Generation in Java 8

How annotation works in Java

Hyperfactorial in Java

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